Well it’s happened again and inspired me to write a short blog. Digital photographs (including scanned, downloaded, stolen from Google images and digital cameras) are known as bitmaps. ANY TIME a photograph or video (different to some line drawings, see later) reaches the computer screen, it is converted to a bitmap (if it wasn’t one already). A bitmap is a grid with a finite number of pixels (digital cameras are measured in Megapixels (10M, 5M etc.), computer screens are also, 1024×768 etc), each pixel is assigned a colour. When these tiny pixels are zoomed out, shrunk down to individual points, the squares appear invisible and we see a complete photograph of a tree/landscape/dog/your mum.

When we zoom into the bitmap, these squares will become larger and detail in the photograph is lost. There is no way to magically split a pixel out into it’s composite parts, it is a single colour and nothing more, the information isn’t there to enhance! A low quality image or video will ALWAYS BE a low quality image or video.

I can’t blame you for thinking it is possible. I mean Hollywood shows this happening all the time, but it is physically impossible with today’s technology. Even future technology will not be able to improve photographs and videos created with the old technology. It’s IMPOSSIBLE.

Scan back to the start of the film… enhance the image. See the guy in the blue coat on the floor in the reflection of the computer screen. Enhance it, turn him round and lift him up so we can work out how tall he is. Look, can you see what he ate for Breakfast? Check his stomach contents, looks like it came from McDonalds on Regent Street at 11:02-11:04am this morning, lets go speak to Magda who served him to get an ID.

It’s just NOT possible!

The exception comes with some digital line drawings (with or without colour) but not all. The rule of thumb is, unless a graphic designer has issued you with a vector format file (Illustrator, Fireworks, Some PDFs etc.) then it’s probably not high enough quality to enlarge or print in high quality. Most images from your old website will be shrunk to just the right size for the screen, generally these can not be enlarged, printed for publication or improved upon, including logos. These would need to be retaken, redrawn or the original obtained.

Tomorrow’s blog: Time Travel – why a new website and graphics cannot be designed, built and tested before last week.

When you are writing an article for publication, you are holding yourself up as an expert in your field. It’s a great way to get recognised and to drive traffic to your main website. The more you write and distribute the more interest and traffic you’ll generate.

Today there is a huge amount of competition when it comes to article writing and one of the most important elements of successful article writing is the ability to produce high quality articles fast.

The ultimate key to writing an article fast

Understand your topic. Start writing about something you are familiar with. After that before you begin writing any article make sure you fully research your subject so you have a thorough knowledge of it.

Article writing is a skill so it takes practive. If you can, write every day.

Plan and be organised

Rapid article writing calls for organisation:

• An introduction to the topic
• Paragraphs that deal with the topic
• A conclusion to the topic

This format gives your readers a chance to understand your article better and you will be able to convey your message properly.

Keep it simple

Finally, when it comes to the easiest way to write an article fast, remember the principle of keeping it simple. People like to read articles that are easy to understand – so keep it simple!

Dear Freelance Copywriter,

I send out a monthly newsletter but my list isn’t growing. I’ve listed my website on loads of  free advertising sites and I’m even paying for advertising, but I’m not getting any new sign-ups. What can I do?

Yours sincerely

Billy-No-Mates

Dear Billy-No-Mates,

Number one, you’re not alone. Even though you’re putting a lot of effort into this, it doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed success. You need to think about long-term ways to grow your list.

A great way is by giving away articles.

Website and blog owners are always looking for new content and there are places called Article Directories (basically a library of free articles) where they can go to find articles that they can use for free. You’ve probably heard of Ezine Articles? Well, that is just one. If you search Google under ‘free article sites’ you’ll find loads more.

Simply write and submit articles to these websites.

When submitting you’ll be asked to complete an Author Bio which goes at the end the article (see below for an example). This is where you can sell yourself and talk about your business. Make sure your link takes your reader to a page on your site with a sign up box for your newsletter. Also give them an incentive to fill in their details – give away a free report or eBook.

Once you’ve done that, everyone who clicks through that link will be taken to the page where you can offer them your wonderful newsletter and your list will grow.

Sally Ormond is a professional freelance copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or at sally@briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have.

Contestants

Simon Cowell – Stuck to traditional marketing methods based on years of business experience.

Tracy Morter – A photographer from Essex with no marketing experience in the music industry at all.

This week, both people went head to head.

Weapons?

Simon Cowell – TV Show – The X Factor, one of the most popular audience participation tv shows in the country. The X factor has produced Christmas number one after Christmas number one! The transit method was once the most popular media device in the world.

Tracy Morter – Networking – Facebook. Has never produced a Christmas number one or any song for that matter.

The Product

Simon Cowell – Young attractive face, the face recognised by millions across the country singing in an amazing voice a song of hope and dreams.

Tracy Morter – A 1992 rock band singing shouting a rebellious song containing more swear words than the radio would care to filter.

The Result

The Christmas number one slot has been the place of heros. The Beatles held it three years running from 63-65. Queen has also taken the spot, Pink Floyd, Band Aid, Cliff Richard and many more. This year, the official Christmas number one is ‘Rage Against the Machine’ with ‘Killing in the name of’

“**** you I won’t do what you tell me”

Power to the people! Network marketing has beaten TV marketing in an amazing fight. Joe deserved the spot but for the ultimate test of a new society.

Social media is and will continue changing the world.

(and Joe, we know you’re number one really. RATM was just to prove a point. Good luck in your new career)

On the twelfth day of christmas my true love gave to me

• twelve PEOPLE  TYPING
• eleven LUCKY LEADS
• ten BUYERS BUYING
• nine PAYPAL PAYMENTS
• eight EMAIL ERRORS
• seven SURFERS SURFING
• six ADWORD VOUCHERS
  *** [with gusto]
• FIVE THOU-SAND HITS
• four SUPPORT REQUESTS
• three COMPLAINTS
• two NEW CLIENTS
• and a CARTRIDGE IN THE PRINTER

Merry Christmas one and all*

*If you don’t celebrate Christmas, have a nice few free days off work celebrating nothing in particular while enjoying random old films on TV… which I hasten to add tend to be black and white, low quality at a silly frame rate. I hope you enjoy that beautiful HD TV which as it turns out is a complete waste of money! Next time you WILL celebrate Christmas… it takes our mind off the TV and gives us a great opportunity to tell our family members what we really think about their new girlfriend/hairstyle/tattoo/dress sense/sexuality.