We are living in an age where everything is becoming digital, from business documents to diaries. We use word processors, spreadsheets, and email for just about everything. Now that the world is moving in this digital direction, so are our advertising techniques. Over the last few years, we have observed a major shift in the way people interact with content and advertisements online. Simply put, online consumers have adapted to this new way of doing business, and traditional print and radio ads are no longer effective in reaching out to this audience.
What is digital copywriting, then? Simply put, it’s the use of writing and editing techniques in electronic form. We have all seen online ads with content that is almost entirely copy, right? That’s digital copywriting in action. This type of content might include text, images, video, or a combination of these.
What is fascinating about digital copywriting is that you don’t necessarily need to use an online tool to create your content. There are plenty of desktop publishing software packages that can be used to create documents that look like they were printed from a word processor. However, the advantage of using a tool on the computer is that you can incorporate all of the proper formatting as you type. This is critical for making your content look flawless and professional.
Some of the more popular applications that are commonly used for digital copywriting include:
Keynote
We all use PowerPoint every day. Whether it’s to present some information, a pitch, or a business plan, the power of PowerPoint remains the same – it gets the job done. We’ve all been there. You’ve got a really important presentation and you need a way to get your point across. You open up PowerPoint and start pressing the keys as fast as you can, hoping that you will come up with the right words to fit your needs. And you’d be surprised how often this happens. We’re all guilty of this.
The truth is that you probably don’t need PowerPoint to do your presentation. There are plenty of good, plain text presentation tools that you can use, like Slides and Deck. But it doesn’t hurt to have PowerPoint. Especially when you’re trying to create a professional image for your business.
The best part about using PowerPoint for digital copywriting is that you can open up any existing presentation and start using it as a template. This means that you don’t need to create a new one from scratch. And if you already have a deck that you use for other types of presentations, you can start incorporating some of these ideas into your business writing.
Apple Keynote
If you’re a Mac user, you may be familiar with Keynote already. With the release of macOS Mojave, Apple introduced a brand new presentation application. And what a redesign it is. Designed to look like a traditional wooden desk, complete with a computer monitor and a physical keyboard, Keynote lets you create an engaging presentation that will keep your audience interested.
Many desktop publishing software packages offer similar features, so if you use a Mac, you have many options when it comes to creating a professional-looking presentation. If you’re looking for a tool to use for business and marketing material, check out Keynote. Whether you’re creating an informational flyer for your local yoga studio or you’re preparing for a pitch to investors, this application has you covered.
Google Slides
Speaking of covering yourself, Google Slides is one of the most popular applications used for business and marketing these days. What is interesting about this application is that it has evolved from a simple text editor to a robust presentation tool that contains all of the features you need to create a professional-looking slide deck. And with the ability to work remotely, you can access your slide deck from anywhere.
You can try out the free version of Google Slides, which is open to everyone. This way you can take a quick peek at how the application works and decide whether or not you want to purchase it. The advantage of this approach is that you can access any tutorial or course that you might need without having to spend a penny.
LibreOffice / OpenOffice.org Impress
If you’re into open source software, you can’t talk about digital copywriting without mentioning LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org. LibreOffice is a free, cross-platform office suite that was forked from OpenOffice, and it has evolved to be a complete replacement for Microsoft Office over the years. Its latest iteration is a hybrid office suite that contains a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a presentation application. Which one you choose depends on your needs. OpenOffice.org is the grandaddy of all open source office suites. It was first released in 2001 and has been updated and expanded upon ever since. It currently supports over 300 different document types, including PowerPoint presentations.
You may be familiar with Microsoft Office, but even Microsoft has acknowledged that OpenOffice is a more feature-rich alternative, and it’s the preferred choice of many open source software fans. What is interesting about LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org is that they were designed to allow for more sophisticated features in a presentation tool, while remaining true to their roots as a word processor and a spreadsheet application. This is important to keep in mind if you want to create a polished-looking presentation for business and marketing material.
The best part about LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org is that you don’t necessarily need to have specialized knowledge to use them. You can download and install the free versions onto your computer, and start creating your presentation. There is also a decent amount of online documentation that you can peruse to figure out the ins and outs of using these applications.
Microsoft Powerpoint
Still don’t know which one to choose? Don’t worry, we’re not going to leave Microsoft out of the equation. Everyone knows what Microsoft Powerpoint is, and it remains one of the most popular tools used for creating presentations. What is interesting is that even though it is a 20-year-old product, it still garners a lot of support from businesses, startups, and even individual users. If you’re using Microsoft Windows, you can download the PowerPoint app from the Windows Store. And if you’re a fan of the tool, why not download and install the latest version of it onto your computer? This may be the best option if your computer does not have enough RAM to run the latest edition of Microsoft Office.
Brixton PowerPoint
If you’re looking for a PowerPoint alternative that was specifically designed for business and marketing material, check out Brixton Powerpoint. This application was created by a former Google employee and the founder of Growthoid, a performance marketing firm. As the name implies, Brixton Powerpoint was designed to look like Microsoft Office, but with a modern, clean interface that is perfect for marketing material.
Brixton Powerpoint also contains all of the features you would expect from an office application, including a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a presentation application. The best part is that it is incredibly easy to use. Even non-specialists can learn how to create a simple slide deck with this tool in less than five minutes. And if that’s not enough, the software comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
In conclusion, choosing a presentation tool is not an easy task, as there are many different brands and versions of each one. And the more features you need, the more you have to learn. It’s not like there is an obvious answer to this question, other than creating a good presentation and doing your best to make it look as polished as possible. When you’re done, present it to your audience and see how they react. If you can get some positive feedback, it will make the time and effort you put into creating the deck that much more worthwhile.