Since my reluctant plunge into writing copy, content, and SEO in 1998, I’ve come a long way.

Back then, after being given direction by a community education coordinator, I’d write course descriptions, informing people of what they’d get from my photography class.

Who knew I was learning a skill that I’d eventually enjoy doing?

Changing Minds and Initiating Action With Words

A brief introduction and information about what I did to hone my copy, content, and SEO skills would be appropriate.

But if you’d like to skip the introduction and nostalgia and get right to the samples, please go directly to the writing samples.

An Introduction

Hello, I’m Sam.

Sam D'Amico Photography classes — Photograph by Roxie Brown.

Most of what you see on my website involves my photography and photography classes. So what’s with the writing?

I’ve been writing for a long time. I started writing while working as a photojournalist in 1987. Specifically, I wrote caption information for the pictures I provided. I also penned story summaries for feature pictures I wanted to produce.

I started working with local newspapers, magazines, and marketing and advertising businesses. I eventually worked with the New York Times as a freelancer and have over 500 published assignments.

Starting in 1999, I began writing to market my photography classes. It wasn’t something I looked forward to, but I did it grudgingly because it had to be done. And over time, I grew to enjoy writing and honed my copy, content, and SEO skills.

Today, I’m using my acquired writing skills primarily for my website. And at the suggestion of a few students who work in the advertising and marketing industries, I’ve decided to give professional writing a go.

My Writing Experience

Copy, Content, and SEO

In 2003, I started my photography classes in Washington, DC. I designed a tri-fold brochure, filled it with class descriptions I penned up, and included a registration form that could be sent via the U.S. mail with a check to register for the classes. I never imagined I’d be putting together a writing portfolio at the time, so I don’t have brochures as an example.

I marketed the classes by placing the brochures in coffee shops, eateries, and other places in areas of town that had people who wanted to learn photography. These brochures were my first step into copy, content, SEO, and marketing.

After a year or two of the brochures and registering by mail, I got a prepackaged website on GoDaddy. I swapped out the pamphlets for 8.5 inches by 5.5 inches printed pieces that directed customers to the GoDaddy platform to read the course descriptions and pay/register for the classes online.

Blogging, Sales Pages, and Email Marketing

While using GoDaddy, I started an email list.

I also began using WordPress.com to send current and past students blog posts to supplement their in-class studies and inform them about upcoming classes.

However, I eventually wanted a primary domain name for my business. So I found a good, reliable hosting company, got my domain name, switched to WordPress.org., created my website, found a good email marketing service, and started building a more extensive email list.

WHEW! I learned a lot between then and now.

I knew about the importance of marketing, but I also realized the value of copy, content, and SEO.

My website can also be considered my portfolio. But please remember that there’s a lot of older work to be updated and improved.

Copy, Content, and SEO

Resume

Sam’s Writing Resume

Email Statistics

According to some research I’ve done, good email open rates are 17-35.3%.
My email list isn’t huge, but the open rates make up for the size.
I’m guessing it’s the subject lines that get ’em to open and the copy that keeps ’em reading.

It’s interesting; when I started emailing daily, I lost a good chunk of subscribers.
I get it. Who wants to give their valuable attention to someone they don’t know talk about something they have no interest in? Especially EVERY DAY?
But to those who stuck around and the new subscribers who like what I offer, we’re each other’s kinda people.