7 ways to write damn good copy that will change your life.

Here’s a thought…

What is so special about the content that we retweet, like and send to our friends every day? Well, it is because they are compelling and serve us, the audience, in one way or another.

Just like this, pieces of engaging copy have the ability to do more than just capture the attention of a reader; it can influence their lives and the way they think.

So here are 7 ways that will show you how to write some of the best copy of your life – (and will convert.)

Headlines 101

Headlines, the one thing that can make or break you. The most important element on the page, that is the basis of how your readers will perceive you.

The primary purpose of any headline is to get the first sentence read. Convincing your customers to keep reading means that your time, money and effort won’t go to waste.

To make a great headline learn the 4 U’s, these will help you understand what the reader expects from your copy and guarantees for them to keep reading.

• Unique
• Ultra-specific
• Useful
• Urgency

Top Tip: Check out Co Schedule’s headline analyser to find out how good yours are.

With any headline, you need to be opinionated and convey confidence in yourself so that people respond well to your message.

Also, you should give the benefits of your article in the headline, an article without a benefit to the reader is effectively useless to them so why would they read it?

Check out this article by Copyblogger that gives 10 of the best headline formulas that are guaranteed to work.

Nail down your target

The reason that so many people fail at copywriting is simply because they don’t know their audience. They don’t know anything about them so they just write and hope for the best.

But the reality is that if you don’t know your audience, how do you know what to offer them?

You don’t know their problems, what makes them mad, none of it. Unless you know your target your copy will never resonate with them.

Need help understanding your target audience? Look here.

Know the subject and don’t be boring

It is so easy to tell when the writer doesn’t know what they are talking about, it is sloppy, ill-informed and doesn’t really provide the user with anything they didn’t know before.

Listen to any speaker who is a professional and then compare it with a novice. You will soon realise the difference in the content and the passion in the way they speak and it will show you that if you don’t know the subject you are useless to the reader.

Boring comes hand in hand with not knowing anything about the subject. You have to make it fascinating:

• Use personality
• Use imagery
• Use humour
• Use controversy

This isn’t to clownishly grab attention, but to make your content good and useful; as well as more interesting and readable.

Lists and Questions

Many people think sales copy means writing as much a possible to convince customers of your professionalism and know-how etc.

Well actually, large chunks of text will crash your dreams of getting customers. They will never read it and if they do they won’t take it in because there is simply too much there.

Also with no leading or thought provoking statements people won’t leave with anything to think about. Questions make your copy remarkable, they make people begin discussions and want to learn more.

So to fix the big chunk of text, simply use bullet pointed lists. Make your copy easy on the eye and a scanning reader will soon turn into an active reader, listening to your message.

Use questions to get the audience thinking about your content. Make them come back for more.

For more tips on how to break up long copy check this out from Copywrite Matters.

Get Personal

Speak to your audience directly and make things personal. If you know your target audience then it will be easy to write in a personal manner to them.

The intention of your words is to convince and persuade your readers to buy your products and services, so it is important to address them directly.

You wouldn’t present your sales pitch in a general manner, would you? No, you would present it to the people who are sitting right in front of you. The ones who really want to listen.

Stop being general and start being specific.

Remove the fluff and get to the point

With a limited amount of time to gain your reader’s attention – (and keep it), there is no point waffling on about whatever is on your mind.

Cut the crap and get straight to the point.

No one wants to read for 10 minutes only to find out you haven’t even stated what you are writing about. The solution, keep it condensed and concise.

Not only will this keep your readers happy but also the search engines, and it will reduce your chance of getting penalised too.

Your copy to being about one main idea, don’t flip between topics and ideas. People should want to stay focused and wanting to absorb all that you say.

Also stay clear of all that jargon. Nobody wants to be deciphering puns while they read. It will get confusing and they will just give up because you are making their life too hard.

Keep it simple and stick to your point.

Focus on the feelings

The emotional selling point is rapidly taking over from the old unique selling point. Unique no longer exists and now, people want to know that you understand how they feel. How it feels to be a customer.

They will never go along with what you are saying if they don’t believe you care about them.

To write emotionally play on these things:

• Trust
• Desire
• Value to them
• Belonging
• Fear
• Hope

Always put them first.

Find out more emotional triggers here.

Remember web copy can be extremely powerful when done right, so stick to our advice and start creating copy that converts today.