Here’s a fact that you just can’t get around if you sell or market services online. No matter how beautiful your site is or how great your products are; if your copy sucks no one will care.
Nothing will kill a user’s experience faster than web copy that’s boring, dull, or just plain bad.
The reality is that in today’s online world, anyone can write and publish content. The downside to that fact is that not everyone should. Let’s be real, for every good landing page or blog post out there, there’s a ton of bad ones that should never have seen the light of day.
So if you want to engage your audience and stand out from the crowd at the same time, make sure you write killer copy or hire someone to do so on your behalf.
Here are 5 tips to help you do just that:
1. Know your audience.
One of the most essential elements of good copy is relevance. Even if your content is well written, articulate, and typo free, your copy will fall flat on its face if you are not speaking your audience’s language. This means whatever you write needs to reflect your reader’s interests and preferences.
Ask yourself…
- Does this copy speak to my customer’s pain point or frustrations?
- Is my reader young, old, or somewhere in between?
- Are my readers men, women, or a mix?
- Do my customers prefer a laid back, formal, sarcastic, humorous, or dry writing style?
- Does this copy reflect a general empathy with my reader’s situation?
- Will this content assist my reader in their goal(s)?
Before you begin worrying about anything else, start with making sure that your copy connects with its intended reader so it lands with a BOOM and not a whimpering thud.
2. Define your goal.
Here’s a question, when you sit down to write, what is your goal for the reader? This is a critical consideration whether you are writing sales copy for a landing page, an email for your newsletter, or a simple post for your weekly blog.
Obviously when it comes to sales or marketing copy this is even more important than with other pieces of content, but even if you are writing a reflective blog post you should have a goal in mind.
What is the response you are trying to elicit from your reader?
- Do you want them to buy something?
- Do you want them to opt in to your email list?
- Do you want them to watch a video?
- Do you want them to follow you on social media?
Maybe your goal is less obvious like…
- Do you want someone to share your content?
- Do you want to provoke a reaction or critical thought?
- Do you simply want to piss someone off?
Regardless of your goal, identify what it is, then write in a way that points to the final destination. If you read what you wrote and can’t see a pretty obvious conclusion or call to action then it may be time to go back to the drawing board.
3. Write like you talk.
Obviously this tip should be observed “within reason.” If you use excessive profanity, run on sentences, or “umm’s” and “ahhh’s” when you speak then we wouldn’t recommend carrying that over into your content.
But you also don’t want to sound cold, robotic, or phony.
The point here is that you want your audience to feel like they are part of a real conversation. Engagement goes both ways, so your copy should reflect a genuine voice that talks with your reader, not to your reader.
4. Make your content scannable.
Today’s online reader generally is attention deficient. In other words, they read fast, scroll faster, and are off to the next thing unless you give them a really good reason to stick around. Consequently, if you want copy that attracts and engages you need to adapt to the needs and wants of today’s online readers.
This means your copy needs to be easy to follow, pleasant to read, and quickly scannable.
Consider doing some of the following when you are formatting your content:
- Use small paragraphs and simple sentence structure.
- Pepper in plenty of headlines and bulleted lists to break apart sections of text.
- Embrace the use of negative space.
- Avoid large sections or “chunks” of copy that will scare off the reader or encourage them to skip right over.
5. Use compelling language that evokes an emotional response.
Alright, before you go grab a thesaurus and start swapping out every word of your copy for one with 3-5 syllables, recognize that you don’t want to use words that would be completely unnatural for your writing style. But, you can strategically select words and phrases that will have a stronger emotional response than others.
For example, which of the below paragraphs is more compelling?
Does your webpage text sound robotic and plain? We have a wide range of online marketing and copywriting services to fit your needs, and we offer a free consultation with our trained staff. Contact us today and learn how to write more effective landing pages.
OR
Tired of seeing your website visitors leave as quickly as they go? Ever wondered if maybe it’s because your copy is hard to read and just plain boring? Schedule a free chat with our copywriting pro’s who can help you create landing pages that kick ass and convert. Just click here to get started!
If you picked the second option then we are right there with you. If you like the first one, then you probably enjoy BBC documentaries on gardening too. 😬
Here’s the thing. The first paragraph is very matter of fact and uses words and phrases that are both boring and predictable. Nothing about the first option evokes interest or an emotional response.
The second one paints a picture. It hits a pain point. If you are a website owner who is struggling to convert visitors then paragraph two will resonate with you and possibly motivate you to do something about your lackluster situation.
Understand, really great copy will move a reader and provoke some sort of response. But you need to use words and phrases that will do the same.
Recognize that killer copy is an art and will take time to develop. It takes practice and thoughtful consideration. But if you incorporate these 5 tips into your writing disciplines you will see great improvement in your conversions and reader engagement.
Trust us… after all, you got to the end of this post 🙂
