Copywriting is basically advertisement writing. But some copy suck and some don’t. So what’s the difference?
Copywriting is, essentially, the act of writing advertisements. The goal of it is to create more awareness around a product or a service or an issue. It is also meant to persuade potential customers to take a certain action.
If you’ve read a product review, chances are there was a suggestion or button somewhere on that post that encouraged you to buy the product.
If there was, then that article was a piece of copy.
If you’ve visited a website and the page you were on talked about the company and its services and had customer testimonials, there’s a good chance there’s a button at the bottom of the page that asked you to get in contact with them.
This is a call-to-action. And that page that you were on is another example of a piece of copy.
Another time you may have had a run-in with copy is in your email inbox.
You know all those sales and discount emails you keep seeing? Yeah, those are copy.
Copy can be seen and read everywhere online. But just because it is in abundance, doesn’t mean that copywriting is easy to do. As a matter of fact, most of the copy that you see is not good copy. Some call it “lazy copywriting.”
Some Tips and Rules for Copywriting
So here are some copywriting rules and tips to help you avoid writing bad copy.
But before we get into that, I just want to be transparent and let you know that I am by no means an expert. I know some stuff about copywriting (definitely more than the person who knows nothing). So treat this as an intro-introductory lesson.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff:
1) REALIZE THIS: Copy is meant to show a solution for a customer’s problem, not to get a sale
Always, always, always keep this in mind. Your job as a copywriter is to reveal things that help the customer. You’re not doing this to trick them into buying something unnecessary so that you can make a sale.
You’re writing copy to help them relieve a pain point.
2) Use power words in your copy
Power words are a great way to beef and spice up your copy. Words such as ‘secret,’ ‘free,’ and ‘because’ will make your ad more compelling because it triggers an emotional response.
And this is good because it will draw readers or potential customers in and they’ll be anxiously anticipating what you have to say next.
3) Show how customers will benefit from your product
Okay, so here is something that many new copywriters mess up (myself included).
When many new copywriters start out, the copy they write will mainly be about the company. They’ll talk about how awesome the product or service is and that’s it.
But this is the wrong way to do it.
You should talk about how customers can benefit from the company. You should talk about how the service can solve the customer’s problem or help them meet a goal.
Instead of saying “WE yada, yada, yada…” say, “YOU will be yada, yada, yada…”
This not only shows them that the company is here to serve them but also creates a story in their mind of how our service helps them achieve something.
4) Tell Stories
I will admit, this is something that I am still in the process of learning.
But what I’ve learned so far is that telling stories (or creating them) with your copy will help the customer have a deeper connection with your product.
These stories, when told well, will tap into the customer’s primitive brain. This will show them how we will help them do the one thing that all humans strive to do –survive.
The features of your product and where your company was founded won’t help them survive. However, the benefits of your service will.
Stories of benefits and the results that come with the use of your product will help customers envision themselves conquering a pain point and receiving all the glory that comes with accomplishing that goal.
Just talking about the features cannot achieve this.
5) Your copy is not meant for everyone
There are a lot of humans in the world, like trillions of them. So your copy isn’t going to resonate with all of them. That’s why you shouldn’t write for everyone. You should only write for the crowd that would use your product and would benefit from it.
Find out where your people are, how they speak, and what their views are, and write your copy for them. Don’t try to attract everyone. Because if you do, then you’re attracting no one.
6) It’s not about you, it’s about them
I’ve mentioned this throughout this entire list, but to make sure it gets through your thick skull, here it is again: the copy is for the customers, not you.
Don’t try to trick them into making a sale. Rather, persuade the right people and let them know that X service is the best solution to their problem.
Don’t talk about how great your features are. Rather, talk about the benefits that come with your features.
And lastly, don’t talk about yourself and your company. Instead, make your copy customer-centric (use “you” instead of “we” or “I”).
So, those are some tips and rules that you should follow when you write copy. However, as I mentioned earlier, I’m not an expert in this craft. The rules are a good starting point, but there is so much more that you learn.
Some Copywriting Resources
If you’re interested in upping your copywriting knowledge and skills, here are some great books you should read:
- The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert Bly
You can buy this book from Amazon here.
- On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser
You can buy this book from Amazon here.
- This is Marketing by Seth Godin
You can buy this book from Amazon here.
You can buy this book from Amazon here.
However, if you don’t want to buy the books right now, here are some awesome blogs you learn from:
Copyblogger (https://copyblogger.com/)
Seth Godin’s Blog (https://seths.blog/)
Do you feel like you have a better understanding of copywriting?
Let me know in the comments below. Also, what tips do you have for improving copy? Share that too!