Copywriting can feel like more of an art than a science. But you’re not writing a novel. So don’t wait for inspiration to land, instead look at the key ingredients that go into good content. Include these in the copy you write and you’ll produce something worthy of putting in front of others.
Reader Focussed
So many of us write with ourselves at the forefront. Copywriting shouldn’t do this. Instead, put the reader first and write from their perspective, not yours. Anticipate the questions they have and answer them.
Why? Because the content should be for the reader, not you or your boss or your client. Think about their point of view and the experience you’re creating for them. When your customers connect and respond you’ll win round those doubters.
Active Voice
The passive verb has a habit of creeping into our words and killing the momentum. It’s not grammatically incorrect, but it can be flat and formal. An active voice has energy. It moves the reader along at a pace and brings your words to life.
Passive voice example: The hotdog was eaten by Mike
Active voice example: Mike ate the hotdog.
The second one is clearer and more enjoyable to read. So make sure you check your work and avoid the passive voice where you can.
Jargon-free
Business jargon, cliches and buzzwords pop up everywhere. They’re often a sign of lazy writing and clutter the message. But corporate speak has become so common even the best of us can find the odd one slipping in unnoticed.
Don’t streamline processes with blue-sky thinking. Write simple, real words and make it a conversation people can understand.
Call to action
All your copywriting should include a clear and specific call to action. This means telling your reader what you want them to do. But don’t just tell them at the end, write content that inspires them to act.
But make sure you’ve given the information they need in your content before asking them to do something. You want your reader to make an informed choice to click.
Speak the truth
Readers are savvy, and they can spot when your content reads like someone else’s words. And who wants to sound like someone else?
If your competition has great content, it’s probably because they’ve found their unique selling point (USP). Don’t mimic their style, because you risk looking like an inferior version of them.
Instead, tell an authentic story in a unique voice and you’ll find that your content will be better for it.
Original content
The internet is full of content stealers. Avoid the temptation of the copy and paste function.
I know a personal fitness company here in the UK that does this. It will remain nameless (for now). They put up a lot of content on their blog, on Facebook, and on Instagram. The problem is, it’s ALL copied from a personal training company in the US. Every single word.
It’s easy to spot – the words for an American audience don’t read the same to a British one. Plus, we have quite a few grammar differences.
Google hates copied content and will rank you lower for it. Your readers will sense it’s not written specifically for them and won’t engage. It’s also plagiarism – so don’t do it.
Also, avoid rewriting someone else’s work – because you’re still stealing their hours of research and creativity. Instead, do your homework and plan your content. Your readers deserve it.
Be generous
Free quote, money off, special offer, money-back guarantee – attract your customers by showing them your lovely giving nature. Customers love getting something for free. So be generous with your offers.
But don’t be so generous you give away all your content for nothing. See your giveaways as a chance to gain leads, build customer loyalty and encourage engagement.
And don’t pretend to offer more than you are. No customer wants to feel duped by something that’s too good to be true.
Human to human
Write for one person, not a large audience or a company. They access your content as individuals, so address that one person.
This is especially important for Business to business (B2B) companies. Many forget that they’re speaking to a person at a company – not the company itself. So make your content a conversation between two people.
It’s tempting to show your clever professional side when you’re writing for a business. But that often where business jargon and unnecessarily complicated words creep in and make it harder to read.
Keep the language understandable and conversational. Show your company’s human side and you’ll find your customers will engage more.
SEO Keywords
It’s worth knowing what your keywords are. But only use them where it works in your content. Your reader should still come first, SEO second. Today, top quality content is king and Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to make cheating the system with keywords almost impossible.
Gone are the days where you could pad out content with keyword phrases and rank well. But don’t just research your keywords when you’re starting your business, then ignore them. Keep checking your keywords and which pages are attracting clicks. Free tools like UberSuggest make it easy to see which keywords would work best for you.
Research & Plan
It’s tempting to write before you’ve thought through what the aim is or why you’re doing it. Don’t. Only start writing when have a goal in mind. And don’t skip the prep work.
Research your content. Gather data. Use reliable sources. It’s worth putting the time in so you have valuable content to offer. Then plan how you’ll put it together and do a rough first draft.
Don’t publish this draft though – step away and revisit it with fresh eyes. Then reshape, rework, tweak and polish those words until you’re happy you’ve put your message across effectively.
To the point
When we write we often include a long setup before we get to the crucial point. A good tip to avoid this is see if you can lose your first paragraph and still make sense. If you can, consider deleting it.
Also, don’t waffle. Check that each sentence moves the story on and doesn’t just reinforce the previous sentence. Be easily understood with clear, simple writing. You don’t want your reader searching for the point you’re trying to make.
Show empathy
Develop a deep understanding of your ideal customer. Know their problems, desires and what answers they’re looking for.
A surprising number of companies don’t do this. So if you’re one of them, do some market research and speak to your customers and find out why they chose you. Don’t assume you know already.
That way you’ll really know their needs and their goals. Then write all your content with these in mind. You want to be relatable and the answer their problems. You can only do this effectively if you know them.
Tell a story
All copy should tell a story. So work out how your business fits into the world and write that. Think about your business, products, and services in terms of real-life experiences. That way your writing will be worth reading.
Long-term strategy
How does your writing fit in with your brand? What’s the bigger story? If your brand is about making a human connection, don’t just write an article on internet speeds.
By doing this, you’re creating a personality that customers can connect with. Plus, it stops you only thinking of yourself and reframes your writing to include the outside world.
Error-free
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors suggest you’re careless. It’s not a good first impression, so don’t rush to publish content without checking it for errors.
You can use tools such as Grammarly or the Hemingway App, or let someone else proofread your copy for you. But even the best technology isn’t foolproof. Know where your commas and apostrophes go, and check your ‘they’re’ versus ‘there’ versus ‘their’.
And don’t be afraid to break some of those grammar rules you learned in Mrs. Appleton’s Grade 9 class to make it easier to read. See how I started the previous sentence with an ‘and’? Using ‘and’ or ‘but’ or ‘so’ at the beginning of a sentence fits with how we naturally speak. It also puts momentum into your writing – driving the action forward.
One last tip here is to break up your sentences with short paragraphs. 2-3 sentences is enough. See white space around your words as breathing room for your reader. Your audience doesn’t want large chunks of text.
Be unique
If you take away all the branding, do your words still sound like they could only come from you? Or could they have come from your competitor? Think about what makes you special. Every business is different, so take the time to find what makes you stand out.
If you still don’t know where to start, I’ve written a simple copy planner that takes around 10 minutes to fill in. It’s a tool you can use to identify your USP and then go back to whenever you write copy. It will help you produce original, targeted content quickly and effectively.
http://Yes, I want my free Coffee Break Copy Planner now