Best Copywriting Tools - Gunning Fog Index Calculator

Best Copywriting Tools - Gunning Fog Index Calculator...

Many thanks to David Babineau for initially pointing me in the direction of this very good copywriting tool.

If you want to have your copywriting rated for reader simplicity, you won't go far wrong with the Gunning Fog Index Calculator.

Simply copy and paste your sales copy in and allow this software to work it's magic.

Check it out here...

http://simbon.madpage.com/Fog/

From Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunning_fog_index

"In linguistics, the Gunning fog index is a test designed to measure the readability of a sample of English writing. The resulting number is a rough estimate of the number of years of formal education that a person requires in order to understand the text on a first reading. That is, if a passage has a fog index of 12, it has the reading level of a U.S. high school senior. The test was developed by Robert Gunning, an American businessman, in 1952.[1]

The fog indexis generally used by people who want their writing to be read easily by a large segment of the population. Texts that are designed for a wide audience generally require a fog index of less than 12. Texts that require a close-to-universal understanding generally require an index of less than 8."

Joseph Sugarman - The Adweek Copywriting Handbook states...

"Robert Gunner... created the Fog Index for newspaper writers to help them avoid so-called foggy writing and determine for themselves the grade level of the copy they were writing. In short, were they writing with enough clarity so that a fifth grader could understand their copy or must a reader be in high school or even college to understand it? The lower the grade level, the wider the audience."

In the same vein, here are a couple more interesting copywriting tools you might want to check out for yourselves similar to Robert Gunner' Fog Index...

http://www.addedbytes.com/code/readability-score/ - Check Text Readability.

http://textalyser.net/

I hope these 3 copywriting tools help some of the members here out when you are copywriting your own sales copy.

Best,


Mark Andrews...

 

Great tools Mark. I'll mention one more. If you're using Microsoft Word 2000 or higher, there's an option in the Spelling and Grammar check to also check readability level. It uses the Flesch-Kincaid system.

Take care,

Mike

 

You are right on target Mark. Good point Mike, I use a similar Flesch-Kincaid tool.

If you are writing general subjects, ordinarily an 8th grade level in preferable. Why? Many high school graduates read at that level.

To be a little more sure, I look up my client's website on Alexa.com
Alexa gives me the demographics and education level of people that currently visit the site.

I like to stay a little on the lower side, as the easiest way to lose people is to use terminology they do not understand.

------regardless of what program, take the extra minute to change just 6 words----your copy will get read more often -- at least that is my experience.

 

Seems interesting.Thank you for the nice share.

 

Hello Mike

It's good to see you now and again posting here on this forum too, especially since you are one of the best copywriters I know - you're professionalism as you know, is always well received and appreciated.

Please don't think I'm blanking you out not replying to your last email from a week or so ago...I'll get back to you very shortly on that front.

For the last week or so I've been out sailing a great deal on my yacht and touring the countryside in my new motorhome - this morning waking up in this superb location and walking along these sands at about 7am this morning...



Tonight I'm heading up the north coast to Bedruthan Steps to spend the night there, find a decent pub first with some (hopefully) hot surf chicks and well, I'll leave the rest to your imagination lol...



No complaints here!

See you soon Mike.

Bottoms up,


Mark...

 

thanks for the info!

 

Thanks for your kind words Mark... I appreciate it.

No problem on answering my last email. Just some friendly private conversation between two pro copywriters, so feel free to answer me whenever you like.

Enjoy your R&R trip.

Take care,

Mike

 

Mike, I had a wonderful time, it was absolutely stonkingly gorgeous!

Didn't end up at Bedruthan Steps afterall, in the end I got it into my mind to drive up to Exmoor National Park in North Devon, by any stretch of the imagination - one of the most scenicly beautiful parts of England.

The weather was boiling hot, clear blue sunny skies - explored all around Lynton and Lymouth, Countisbury Hill, Brendon, Malmsmead, Valley of the Rocks, Woody Bay etc for a few days before heading home again. oh and of course took a trip up and down the famous Lynton Lymouth Clifftop Railway...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYuHj8-2184&fmt=18

I loved every single second of it, it was just what the doctor ordered after my recent operation.

Saturday night especially was fantastic!

Parked my motor home at Malmsmead camp site, got myself a pitch right beside the river in the most beautiful of locations right in the heart of the Lorna Doone valley, got a good sized log fire going, listening to some well chilled out tunes and drinking some excellent 100% natural organic strong cider - I thought I was in heaven lol!

In fact, as you can see from my signature, I've put up the most daftly insane copywriting offer here for DP members to take advantage of, sales copy for just $297 nearly $1,200 discounted off my normal copywriting fees.

The intention? I'm going back up there this weekend to repeat it all over again.

Will take my laptops with me to carry on working, 'on the road'.

There's nothing quite like doing your favorite work sitting in the back of the motor home looking out over the most stunning scenery imaginable with a river burbling it's way merrily downstream right beside you, enjoying deliciously fresh English strawberries and a whopping great dollop of Devon fresh cream, sipping cups of hot tea.

I may very well be mad offering professional copywriting at this insanely low price but if it pays for another trip away for a few days - it's all good to me.

I'll write you soon my friend.

Wishing you as always, all the very best!


Mark...

 

great resources ! thanks to all..i am new and this is very helpful !

 

Absolutely no problem.

I'm glad you found the information presented, useful.

Best,


Mark Andrews...

 

Hi Mark

In your line of copywriting, I know your are the ace of words. I am designing a computer program, where one part involves the use of synonyms. What product do you recommend? I do not need 80 per word, but instead about 10 sensible choices.

Sorry, Not trying to ruin your post.

 

Would you like to rephrase your request please and be a little more specific and to the point?

No problem posting here - all posts are welcomed on topic or not - it makes no odds to me.

Best regards,


Mark Andrews...

 

Here is what I need to do for a portion of a program. Take a list of 650 words, where many of them have similar meanings. Then, I need to find sensible words only (even four or five each) that are not part of the original 650.

These are Google stop words, which Google completely ignores. If my writing contains 500 words, it will currently become 350 effective words. The purpose is to end up with 450 valuable words.

Since you are very knowledgeable in the usage and interchangeability of words, I thought you could lean me in the correct direction. So far, I have seen many dead ends. So, when in doubt, ask. Thank You

 

thank u 4 info body

 

Can't help you I'm afraid, if I were to do so it would take up an extraordinary amount of time which would cost you a pretty penny or two.

Obviously you're doing this for SEO purposes although to be honest, I'm still not completely clear what your overall objective is with this strategy - which seems to me to be putting time and effort in the wrong direction.

I'm sure it makes sense to you but I fear you might be just wasting your time concentrating on rather inconsequential matters pertaining to the subject.

But hey! Whatever floats your boat.

Best,


Mark Andrews...

 

Thank you very nice tool

 

Mark:

I have the sources to put the initial pieces together.
I have the sources to put the programs together.
I know what my start and finish should be. I am not trying to hire you.
--- the right map of words is what is missing--

I was asking if you knew what synonym program, would contain the right level of information. So far what is easily available is overly simplistic. Others good far beyond, into words with very poor connotations with the original. I thought maybe you personally used or knew what would help.

Thanks anyways. I know what I need is out there, so I will just do a bit more searching.

 

Great post Mark!

Another tool I find useful, is the Grammarly Grammer Checker.

This tool checks your writing for grammar, punctuation, style errors and more

 

Trafficweb Reviewed the tool you recommended. Was very impressed with the handling of synonyms in particular.

Ended up skipping the trial. So I purchased the program. Thanks for the tip!

 

i was order some copywriting sales letter for my new websites, and the copywriter said that he will test the effectiveness of the sales letter before i use it, but i wonder how he do that? now i know, maybe he use this copywriting tools either, anyway thanks for the nice info, 2 tumbs up!!