Writing Web Exclusive Articles for Popular Magazines (Part 3 of 3)

At last! Here's the final post in a 3-part series on how setting your sights on a magazine's website instead of the magazine itself can help you succeed with writing articles - fitness-related or otherwise.

To get answers about what web exclusives mean to writers, I turned to in-the-know web editors from three major Canadian women's magazines: Best Health, Chatelaine and Homemakers.   

They weigh in on my third question below. Or, you can head on over to Part 1 of this series here, and Part 2 here.

Is it easier or harder to break into writing web exclusive pieces for top women’s magazines?

KAT TANCOCK, senior web editor at Reader's Digest, former web editor at Best Health and Canadian Living and blogger at Magazines Online.

KT: Just like with print, web editors often already have a stable of writers that they are used to working with - and you need great ideas to break in. And web editors have a lot less editing and fact-checking resources and therefore are pickier about receiving publishing-ready copy.

However, because the pay tends to be lower, web editors are often more likely to take risks with new writers. And remember, a lot of established print magazine writers have few to no web skills, so if you're a new writer that excels at web writing, that will give you a leg up.

VANESSA MILNE, editor of Chatelaine Walks and former assistant editor at MochaSofa.

VM: I believe it’s easier to break into writing for the web; the pay is worse (although, in my opinion, fair, since there’s often not a second draft, the stories are shorter, and the pieces aren’t fact-checked) and there’s less competition.

That said, like print, most people have a roster of reliable writers they use. Good pitches are the key, I think – tailored pitches, to the magazine’s readership - as well as persistence in following them up. (Asking the editor which sections need articles never hurts, either.)

And good writers are hard to find: People who submit well-researched, clean copy that reflects the assignment letter, on time, and do second drafts and answer questions nicely and quickly, will inevitably be used again.

JENNIFER MELO, web editor at Homemakers.

JM: It can be easier to break into web writing because it’s still a relatively new market — that means many established writers haven’t saturated the online writing market. They’ve built up their contacts in other traditional media and may tend to stick to the contacts they’ve made rather than querying new online publications.

On the flipside, it can be difficult to break into web writing because the online market is still proving itself as revenue-generating medium — that means editorial budgets for web content can be tight and online editors have a limited number of assignments to go around.

Futhermore, online editors aren’t typically working with a large team of staff and may be especially selective about assigning to writers who can be counted on to turn in publish-ready web content.
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What's your take? Do you write web exclusives, or want to give it a shot? What do you see as the pros and cons of this new avenue for magazine writing?  

Writing Web Exclusive Articles for Popular Magazines (Part 2 of 3)

Looking for a new way to make money and get your name out there as a writer? Try web exclusives: short (400- to 800-word) articles that only appear on a magazine's website, not in the print version of the magazine. 

Recently, three web editors from major Canadian women's magazines shared their advice on breaking into and writing web exclusives. The editors:  

• KAT TANCOCK, senior web editor at Reader's Digest, former web editor at Best Health and Canadian Living and blogger at Magazines Online.
• VANESSA MILNE, editor of Chatelaine Walks and former assistant editor at MochaSofa.
• JENNIFER MELO, web editor at Homemakers.

Here's Part 2 of my interview with the above editors. Missed Part 1? Go here.

What are your tips for writing web-friendly articles for women’s magazines (i.e., what format works best, SEO considerations, web-friendly packaging, etc.)?

TANCOCK:

1. Stay on track. Don't meander off the point of your article.

2. Be literal. The web isn't the place for overly creative headlines.

3. Visualize your piece on-screen. Will it be easy to read?

4. If you know SEO, include it in your pitches and point out your keywording to your editor. (If you don't know it, consider picking it up.)

5. Suggest related links from the site you're writing for. (This will impress your editor.)

6. Stay within word count. If you write 1000 words instead of 600, your editor will just have to cut - or they'll turn your article into two.

7. Include links for interview sources (i.e., if you interviewed a dietitian, give your editor a url for their site if they have one).

8. Use (clear and understandable) subheds and don't be afraid of bullet points and numbered lists. Titles that start with numerals are immensely clickable.

9. Spell-check and proofread your work. Few web teams have copy-editors and it will just annoy your editor to have to fix obvious mistakes, like sloppy cut-and-paste jobs. (Although this is true for all writing.)

MILNE: Online, people read differently, scanning for relevant information rather than reading stories start to finish. It’s important to have clear subheads or steps to every story – and nothing too punny or vague - so readers can find the paragraph or point that interests them quickly. That also helps with SEO, as does writing very straightforward headlines that clearly state the point of the article (that also helps when the reader does a search, and a list of headlines show up.)
 
Linking to other articles in your own site (we often do it with Chatelaine recipes in health) is also helpful. I think the most important thing is the same as writing or pitching the magazine, though – to have a good sense of the readership of the magazine, what those readers would be interested in, and where the story would fit. (I get a lot of story pitches that just aren’t Chatelaine, for example, about exotic travel, etc.)
 
MELO: Keep your lead short and engaging and make sure the purpose of your story is clear early on in the piece. Your body copy should be solutions-oriented and conversational (helpful and friendly). Hyperlink to strong sources of additional information and ensure appropriate keywords are used throughout to help readers find your story via search engines.
 
Favour clear, simple words the average reader would type into a search engine rather than ambiguous words you think are clever. Write “3 best ab exercises” rather than “Ab fabulous.” Reasoning: A reader who is looking for ab exercises probably wouldn’t type “ab fabulous” into a search engine. Writing “ab exercises” helps readers to find your content but it also helps your writing to remain more conversational and appealing to the most expansive readership.
 
Stay tuned for Part 3.

Writing Web Exclusive Articles for Popular Magazines (Part 1 of 3)

Web Exclusives: A New Gig for Freelance Magazine Writers

With the web being where people go first for information--and talk in the magazine industry about how it will survive in the coming years--the opportunity for freelance magazine writing has expanded to include web-only articles. 

Magazines used to throw whatever content was in print onto their corresponding website (offering writers a small or no fee for additional online rights). They still do that, but now there's more opportunity online.

Web editors are also hiring freelancers to hammer out web exclusives--short, SEO-minded articles that only appear online, not in print. 

I've been writing a lot of them.

The upside? They're quick to write, and getting these assignments can be less "fuss" than the usual process for receiving print assignments.

The downside? The pay--the per-article rate for web exclusives is less than what you get for print (but going back to the upside I mentioned, the pay can work out to be a decent enough hourly rate).    

I caught up with three web editors at major women's and lifestyle magazines in Canada who generously agreed to share the scoop on writing web exclusives:

• KAT TANCOCK, senior web editor at Reader's Digest, former web editor at Best Health and Canadian Living and blogger at Magazines Online.
• VANESSA MILNE, editor of Chatelaine Walks and former assistant editor at MochaSofa.
• JENNIFER MELO, web editor at Homemakers. 

In this three-part series, I'll post each editor's response to three important questions about web exclusive content on magazine websites and how it can help you succeed at freelance writing. 

Here's Part 1. 

How is web exclusive content generally different from content that appears in the print magazine first?

TANCOCK: Readers online are generally looking for quick fixes and easy solutions, rather than a "good read." Therefore web content needs to be a lot more to the point.

Also, most people find reading on-screen more tiring than reading on paper, so web content needs to be oriented toward that experience: this is why bullet points, shorter paragraphs, frequent subheds and selective bolding within paragraphs is often used.

Finally, the web is, well, a web: articles don't appear in isolation. It's important to make use of the web by cross-linking, both within the site and to other sources. For instance, in a nutrition article that discusses sweet potatoes, we would add a link to some sweet potato recipes; or, in an article on the importance of strength training, we would cross-link to some arm exercises.

MILNE: In my experience, web-exclusive content is shorter and snappier: under 500 words, often lighter in tone (quizzes, lists, how-tos or recipes), and, above all else, something that you might Google.

The subjects are also different. At Chatelaine, much of our online content is health and recipes, and there’s less style, etc.

Oddly, online is often written in a more “evergreen” style, since it’s not often dated and normally stays in the archives. In terms of art and display, there are far more stock photos online than there are in the magazine, and the display tends to be more straightforward.

MELO: Web exclusive content needs to be more concise and more easily scanned than magazine content.

Subheads, bulleted lists and bolded words for emphasis work best for easy scanning for the web reader. Be clear, concise and compelling. Always serve the reader first.

Up next: Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll post our editors' responses to my next question: "What are your tips for writing web-friendly articles for magazines (i.e., what format works best, SEO considerations, web-friendly packaging, etc.)?"

The Comma: Truly Exciting Stuff

You know, I really like punctuation. One of my favorite books is Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. It's all about commas and exclamation points and apostrophes - and, yes, I read it for business and pleasure.

If you have an affinity for punctuation like I do, I highly recommend Eats, Shoots & Leaves. And if you can't quite see why any of the following examples are horrifying to someone like me, resolve to do better by checking out the punctuation game I link to below.

Have you ever written something like this?

• Buy all three fitness DVD's and receive a set of dumbbell's for free.
  
• This workout is known for its' fat burning drills.


• Our hard-core training sessions, and fun boot camps are sure-to-please!!!

Pretty bad. I just want to fix those examples above so bad (or is it badly?).

Hey, check out the COMMA I.Q. game. Who says you can't have fun with commas? (I got one of the 10 questions wrong. Guess which one.)

http://www.savethecomma.com/game/

Writing a Headline? Look at Fitness Magazines

January is a busy month for gaining leads and making sales in personal training and at gyms. Now is the time to be planning your marketing schemes for the new year's rush in the fitness industry.

Fitness entrepreneur Bedros Keuilian of The Art of Selling Fitness posted an interesting YouTube clip about using popular health and fitness magazines to help you generate attention-getting headlines for your web pages, advertising material and e-newsletters.

Take a look at Bedros's clip, it's just three minutes long:



Bedros's advice makes a lot of sense because editors at the most popular magazines - publications that are prominently displayed in bookstores and grocery stores - spend a lot of time deliberating on and fine-tuning cover lines (what Bedros is calling headlines).

In addition to the image that goes on the front of the magazine, cover lines are what sell the magazine. So editors carefully craft cover lines to be as mouth-watering as possible to potential magazine buyers.

Like Bedros says, the next time you need headline-writing inspiration or a clever way to package a fitness promotion, look to the cover lines on the magazines your clients are likely to read.

Just be sure to tweak the wording for your own purposes rather than copy it verbatim.

What Mice Have to Do With Fitness

What New Studies Are You Using to Promote Your Fitness Services?

And Why?

I recently stumbled upon an online forum discussion about using research to score media attention for a fitness business.

A new study had just come out saying exercise curbs depression. The forum discussion focused on how the study would make a good publicity hook for fitness providers. Yes … except the study’s subjects were mice, which no one mentioned.

I’m glad I found that thread because it led to two things:

1. I got the idea to co-author a couple of articles on how fitness pros can benefit from sizing up new research. One of my favorite editors just accepted both queries earlier this week.

2. I got to weigh in on how to incorporate new studies into fitness articles and media pitches.

Here’s a modified version of what I wrote on the forum:

Editors and producers like to ask "Why now?" about any potential story. A brand-new study can satisfy that question, as long as the study is truly relevant and credible. You can find plenty of new research through online newswire services. However, before you write about it, analyze it.

You don’t necessarily need to know everything about research design – just look for important points, such as if the study was sponsored by any companies (and how that might influence results) and if the subjects are similar to your target audience.

Essentially, consider whether the study is truly worth mentioning, apart from its catchy headline.

I just finished an article for Best Health where I had to dig up multiple studies published in 2007 that would be relevant to female exercisers. It would have been sloppy reporting to just see what the newswires had to say and leave it at that.

I used Reuters Health and similar sites as a starting point. Then I found the abstracts. Then I contacted the lead researchers to ask them questions and/or get a PDF of the full-text study.

Any big magazine expects this of you. Local newspapers should, too (although I don't know if all of them do). And if you write about current research for your own client newsletter or blog, you owe it to your clients to get the facts straight.

Bottom line: Use newswire services like ReutersHealth.com to get a heads up on what's out there. Then follow up by checking the actual study through journal websites and/or resources such as PubMed.

Instantly Improve Your Writing

Here's a quick writing tip for the next time you’re working on an article, memo, flyer, web page, etc. …

To streamline your writing and create stronger sentences, avoid turning verbs into nouns when you could simply use the verb. Here’s what I mean:

Instead of: Fitness pros make modifications to programs for a variety of clients.
Why not just write: Fitness pros modify programs for a variety of clients.

Instead of: This trainer provides instruction for clients about proper core training.
Why not just write: This trainer instructs clients about proper core training.

Instead of: Our first step is to conduct assessments on each client’s fitness needs.
Why not just write: Our first step is to assess each client’s fitness needs.

As long as it doesn’t change your intended meaning, zeroing in on the right verb makes your writing tighter and more conversational.

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Receive hundreds more tips and in-depth guidance in my new 50-page Special Report, ANATOMY OF AN ARTICLE. The product is for health and fitness pros who write articles (or want to write them) for magazines, websites, article directories, blogs, newspapers, newsletters and more.

Please check it out:

http://www.activevoice.ca/getart_anat.shtml

Fitness Article Fixes

Do Your Fitness Articles Need These Fixes?

Here are three simple problem-solution scenarios to make your health and fitness articles grab more attention, and help you excel at educating and inspiring your readers.

ONE

Problem: Burying the article’s lead in the second, third or fourth paragraph.

The most compelling, tell-me-more information, or a scenario that readers can relate to, should appear in the very first, attention-grabbing paragraph.

Solution: Avoid warming up with superfluous info or chit-chat at the beginning of your articles. Comb your piece’s first draft for the most relevant lead sentences (they’re usually buried a few paragraphs from the top), then rework them to fit front and center.

TWO

Problem: Introducing fitness terms or concepts without defining what you mean (even if they seem straightforward and commonplace to you).

Many fitness pros offer the following generalized tips, but readers might not understand specifically what to do:

• Work out more intensely


• Drink enough water


• Eat sensibly


• Be active every day

Solution: Offer one or two concrete examples so that your tips make sense to readers. For example, explain that working out more intensely means aiming for certain feelings and physical responses based on the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale.

THREE

Problem: Writing an article that ends up being one huge block of text.

It’s no use writing articles that no one reads because they look so unappealing. Your job is to make the article’s language and format as inviting as possible.

Solution: As you pen the piece, consider how to logically organize your information, then add relevant subheads to break up the text. Doing so makes your writing more enticing and informative for readers.

For 50 pages of in-depth guidance on how to write health and fitness articles that get the results you want, check out ANATOMY OF AN ARTICLE from Active Voice.

Marketing Beyond the Benefits

Writing Promotional Signs That Get Results

Posting signs around your gym or training studio to market your programs, events or specials can increase registration numbers and interest in your services or workouts.

Fitness pros often create a sign that focuses on the features of their offer instead of communicating the benefits in a way that makes sense to fitness consumers. This is a mistake.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you offer 35-minute training sessions for your clients. That, in itself, is a feature. It doesn’t necessarily communicate any value to the fitness consumer.

The benefit to your clients is that a shorter-than-normal session saves them time and perhaps allows them to work out on days when their schedule is too tight for a longer gym visit.

Now, how could you communicate the benefits of your time-saving sessions in a way that’s even more meaningful to your target audience?

Well, perhaps part of your target market is new moms. When my daughter was under a year old, I would have been sold on the chance to squeeze in a decent workout AND maybe a post-exercise shower before my baby started fussing in the gym’s daycare. That would have been the benefit of 35-minute sessions to me.

With the scenario above, moms like me are happy. Babies are happy. And as the trainer, you’re happy, too, because your ability to communicate real-world benefits to your target clientele pays off.

When you promote benefits that resonate with your clients and prospects, you capture their attention, which is the purpose of your sign (or other marketing piece) in the first place.

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More guidance on how to write marketing material for special events and programs in the fitness industry: Profitable Fitness Events for Managers and Trainers.

Write Like You ...

Why It Doesn’t Work to Write Like You Talk

Ever heard people say you should write like you talk to create web copy, newsletters and articles that persuade and interest readers?

As a writer, I consider that advice half-baked.

I appreciate the intent behind the write-like-you-talk recommendation. Trust me, I’m not advocating formal writing in the fitness industry. (I mean, I just used the term “half-baked.”) And this isn’t about proper grammar, either!

What “write like you talk” really means is, use a conversational voice that readers can relate to. But a conversational, casual style isn’t the same as writing as if you’re speaking.

The difference is important because the write-like-you-talk approach leads to meanderings, messiness and wordiness. You don’t edit yourself when you speak. Tapping a keyboard in that same mindset convinces writers they don’t need to edit … like it might rob the writing of its casualness.

So the writer spews out an article or web page that’s three times longer than it needs to be – how unpleasant for readers.

Good conversational writing treats readers to deliberate structure and word choices. It flows. It’s enjoyable. And every word is there for a reason. (Skilled ad copy writers do more than just write like they talk. That’s why they charge so much.)

If you write like you talk, deem it your first draft. Then self-edit for the sake of your readers. Cut the words we typically use in conversation but don’t need to write. Check it out:

Instead of “write like you talk”:

As qualified fitness pros, we always do our best to ensure you reach your various fitness goals faster and easier than anything you might have tried in the past.

Try “conversational but edited”:

As qualified fitness pros, we ensure you reach your fitness goals faster and easier than in the past.

Photo credit: Jane M Sawyer

Respecting Your Readers' Time

Keep It Clean Please

Every second Thursday, someone cleans my home while I go for a walk. You should see me pushing a stroller with one hand and gripping a leash attached to my energetic Labradoodle with the other.

I always return refreshed (really!) to a home that’s sparkling clean. It’s been a perfect arrangement until this week.

The cleaning service called to say the client before me had cancelled at the last minute, so they had to come 90 minutes early to avoid paying their employees to “sit around” between appointments. I won’t bore you with why this was totally inconvenient for me and my family.

Imagine telling a training client she must drop everything to meet with you earlier than agreed upon so you can avoid wasting your own time? Absurd. (Of course, it’s nice to inform clients you can fit them in at a new time, but as a courtesy, not a requirement.)

What does getting my home cleaned have to do with fitness writing and marketing?

Whether you offer a service-based business (like personal training or cleaning homes), or you write anything at all that you expect people to read, one of your main concerns should be to respect clients’ time.

If you write articles, e-books, giveaway reports, programs, web pages, blogs or marketing pieces, make it part of your time to ensure people’s reading experiences are easy and enjoyable. This makes it worth their time.

You don’t have to be a world-class wordsmith. Just put a bit of effort into fixing careless mistakes and sloppy wording. It’s called keeping your writing clean.

That doesn’t mean a typo or two won’t ever get past you. These are minor mistakes that everyone makes.

But fitness pros who couldn’t care less about devoting a few extra minutes to improving their writing don’t respect their clients’ time. And that’s a major mistake.

Be a Fitness Presenter

Insider Secrets to Making a Name for Yourself as a Fitness Presenter

If you’ve ever been to a fitness convention (and I hope you have), you know the exhilaration of participating in sessions that’ll help grow your fitness career by leaps and bounds. Well, I can tell you from experience that presenting at such an event magnifies that feeling of exhilaration 10 times over!

It’s exciting to stand up there, educating your colleagues about how to train better, teach better and/or ensure a more successful fitness business.

If your target market includes other fitness pros, you attract plenty of new customers. (I always do.) And imagine how impressed your training clients or class participants will be when they hear you’re heading to New York, Toronto or Sydney to train other industry leaders!

Being a presenter instantly elevates your status as a fitness pro. The question is, do you have what it takes to be a successful presenter?

There’s no better person to learn from on this subject than my friend Sharon Donaldson of Fitness Resume. She’s been the Convention & Special Events Director for Can-Fit-Pro and a member of IDEA’s presenter selection committee.

This woman is on the INSIDE of what it takes to be a sought-after fitness presenter.

I credit Sharon with helping me break into presenting at Can-Fit-Pro Toronto, a world-class conference that attracts thousands of delegates and plenty of competition for presenting spots.

Now you can get the same inside advice I received from Sharon in her new product, Presenter Insider Package: The tips and tools you need to become a fitness presenter this year.

Read this recent exchange between Sharon and me about the application process and financial payoff of being a presenter.
……
Amanda Vogel (AV): So, I’m curious, what's the single most important thing to include in a conference application that most aspiring presenters either don't think of or don't put proper care into?

Sharon Donaldson (SD): I’d say it’s the quality of the application itself. If you can't get them to like you on paper, you'll never get them to love you in person. It doesn't matter how great an educator you are and how talented you are on stage.

AV: It’s similar to the image you portray when marketing to fitness clients, right?

SD: Exactly. If your application is sloppy, contains typos or poor grammar, or is just poorly written, you'll never get your chance. You are competing with hundreds of other applicants. If you come across as ill-educated or unprofessional, your application will go right into the "no" pile.

So take time to write a proper cover letter. Put care into crafting clever session titles and engaging descriptions. Ensure you've got your contact info in multiple places in your package and make it easy to do business with you!

AV: You must get a lot of people asking about the financial payoff of being a fitness presenter. Like anything, you have to work up to the big bucks, but what do you tell fitness pros who want to make money at this?

SD: Presenting at the big conferences adds instant credibility to your resume. There are endless income streams, including being a master trainer for an educational program, writing articles, endorsing fitness products, or becoming a sponsored athlete.

Presenting on the national stage really opens doors for you with the media, and you can gain more exposure for your facility or fitness program back home.

AV: True. I often go to conferences on a Press Pass looking for story ideas and presenters to interview for my articles.

SD: And if you produce your own training materials or workout videos, presenting at conferences is a must for marketing yourself as an expert.

In fact, many presenters tell me they make more from selling their wares at conferences than they do in presenting fees!

AV: Yep – the last batch of products I brought to a large conference sold out in the trade show on the first day!

Customer Service Through Writing

Better Writing = Better Customer Service

I like to think of decent writing as more than the ability to persuade prospects to hire you with compelling sales copy or a necessity for projecting an overall professional image.

The way you communicate in writing to your clients is a matter of customer service.

An inability to communicate important concepts - in everything from assessment forms to exercise descriptions to web articles - means you fall short of providing outstanding customer service.

Here are three no-cost ways to impress your clients with better writing.

1. Ask for feedback. Consider trading services with a word-savvy client who can edit and proofread your writing for you. Or offer constructive feedback on a colleague's writing in exchange for him or her doing the same for you.
   
   
   
2. Become aware of the common writing roadblocks fitness pros face. It's easier to detect and correct errors when you know what to look for. Receive your free copy of 51 Need-to-Know Writing & Marketing Tips for Fitness Pros.
   
   
   
3. When writing educational or instructional tips for your clients, use a simple two- or three-sentence formula. This helps you get your message across with clarity and precision. Begin the first sentence with a positive verb; use the next one or two sentences to explain the "why" or "how." This foolproof formula comes from Paulette Ensign of Tips Products International.