Top 10 Copywriter Tips & Tricks
So you call yourself a copywriter, eh? Simply put, copywriting is an art. Stringing together a cluster of words can look like just that, a cluster, if not done with craft, care, and consideration. Choosing defined topics and clearly elaborating your goals will help you to more definitively outline the overall mission of your message. Whether you are optimizing audio, video, or contextual content, the most important factor to keep in mind is to create copy that reflects a natural tone so that you are able to identify with a wide range of people. You wanted a voice, so here you go - scream to the mountain tops!.. As long as your message will benefit your audience. Leverage the power of your own voice in order to create useful and valuable content, and your audience will inevitably follow.
It's not exactly a forbidden secret, so we'll share it with you. The eventual goal of creating quality copy is to attract visitors to your website. While this deliverable is well understood, the reality of the situation is that unless your writing is relevant and provocative, then your piece will likely become just another indexed page in the wonder that is Internet space.
There are a variety of copywriting tips and tricks that can help you to initially attract and engage your target audience, but only a handful that have withstood the test of successful copywriting. Here are 10 critical copywriting tips and tricks that you should consider as you strive to provide your consumers with quality information.
1. Define your angle:
Perhaps you've been slated to write an article about a topic that may bore the vast majority? Maybe you've been assigned a content piece that will cause you to nod off or experience writer's block? Or maybe you've been given a task to come up with new ideas and strategies on a topic that has already been completely saturated and dissected? Is your goal to increase consumer awareness? Are you executing a branding campaign? Is your ultimate mission to increase sales? Despite your challenge, your mission is to find a way to make this content interesting and worth a read in the eyes of your target audience. There are a variety of different angles to consider when drafting up initial outlines of your copy. If you've sought out information that you've been unable to find, then you just may have a prime content creating opportunity. Some of the most compelling angles include simple copywriting solutions. Creating a "How To" article provides an effective way of disseminating information because of its easy to follow format. "How To" articles are generally written as step-by-step guides in either bulleted or numbered lists. This consistent breakdown of information can help readers to remain attentive and focused. Many people rely upon "How To" articles for ideas, inspiration, and research, so as a general rule of thumb, the more detailed information, the better. Further, effective "How To" articles may reward you with growing traffic levels and higher sales conversions. Conducting an interview or a mini case study can also effectively convey valuable information to your readers so long as it is current and relevant. If your project is to investigate key selling points that attract and eventually convert consumer purchases in a particular category, then consider surveying a group of people in the target demographic in order to gain a better psychological understanding of consumer purchasing behaviors. As you present your findings to your audience, you will likely increase your credibility within your niche and you may even inspire further studies and ongoing communication among peers and consumers.
2. Know your audience:
Before you begin writing your content, it is critical that you know your audience. Study your niche and do your research before you begin developing your copy. Understand consumer web surfing behaviors, their purchasing habits, and their informational needs. Ask yourself how many types or groups of people may be interested in your products or services, which elements are most important to them, and conversely, which factors may be of little or no interest to their needs. Further, create copy that will provide an accurate reflection and perception of your company. Creating copy that speaks to your readers is arguably the most important aspect when defining your overall concept. The more deeply that you understand your audience, the more effectively you will be able to organize your ideas in conjunction with the needs and demands of your consumers. Your audience will inevitably determine the type of content that you produce. For example, if you own a tool or welding company, then your tone should be concrete (no pun intended) and factual. It should be void of any fluff. Conversely, if you own a home accents or home furnishings company, then your target audience will likely be receptive to detailed descriptions and romance copy. Further, if you're addressing a younger demographic on a social networking site like Facebook, then you'll want to adopt a more informal, jovial tone. Write sentences and thoughts that cannot be misinterpreted or misconstrued by your audience. If your consumers interpret your message incorrectly, then you have failed in your efforts of successfully reaching your audience. Create content that your consumers would send to each other. While you may be used to writing in "industry" terms, your collective audience is likely unfamiliar with your everyday jargon. It is imperative that you clearly define your message so that you can deliver it without confusing your consumers. Most importantly of all, solve the concerns of your consumers and provide them with tangible reasons to return to your site.
3. Create effective titles:
As an Internet copywriter, your one shot at capturing the attention of a consumer may heavily depend upon the power and impact of your title. Think of your title as a way to model your keywords, goods, and services. By strategically using your keywords, you can target quality traffic while simultaneously optimizing your copy. Whether your title functions to stress the benefits of your goods or services, offers a news-worthy element or angle, inspires curiosity, or provides a "How To" approach, it is critical that you use the power of your headline to attract attention, hold interest, or provoke action. It is imperative to remember that you are writing your article for an audience and not for the search engines. While it certainly is flattering to receive attention from search bots, it will be even more rewarding to receive the support of consumers - after all, your consumers are the backbone of your business. Conversely, title tags do serve to address the needs of search engine spiders as well as consumers. Title tags are generally most effective when they are between 65 - 70 characters long. Your title tag should clearly reflect the specific goal of that particular page. For example, if on one page of your site you are selling bathroom vanities, then this keyword should be prominently placed at the beginning of your title tag. Keep in mind that while you will do yourself a disservice by not mentioning the phrase at all, you may also compromise the integrity of your site by stuffing this keyword multiple times throughout your tag. Because of the vast amount of information on the Internet, it is critical that you boast the ability to produce a title that will generate interest and attention so that you can successfully draw traffic to your site.
4. Write simply and directly:
In today's world, people rely on instantaneous information. Not many people have the time or the attention span to read verbose articles (in other words, we may tend to short-circuit rather rapidly). Because we are inclined to multi-task to the max in our current society, you can be rest assured that any given member of your audience will be emailing, texting, blogging, or chatting as they are scanning your prize piece. For these reasons, it is important to create simple, direct, and concise copy. Outlining the facts and figures will not only save your audience precious minutes, but it will also save you valuable resources. When you write simply and directly, you reduce the risk of encountering miscommunication. Miscommunication between consumers and companies can result in a botched relationship and a negative experience. Because consumers are critical to the success of a business, it is imperative that all copy or content relating to your company is clear and concise Further, write in a conversational tone when the situation warrants casual communication. Generally speaking, readers can more easily identify with copy that conveys a less invasive, friendlier approach. Readers are more likely to trust content that provides relevant information and less likely to continue a relationship with companies that continually solicit pieces that focus solely around sales pitches. Again, knowing your audience will determine the tone of your content and the relevance of your message.
5. Use keywords strategically:
Sure, keywords are a critical element to consider when devising a way to effectively create compelling copy - there is no argument around that theory. While optimization is a large factor when developing quality content, keyword stuffing is not the answer. Over the past decade, there have been a variety of keyword percentage rules strewn about the search engine marketing world. However, because search engine algorithms are constantly updated and manipulated, there really isn't an obvious way to fully comprehend how search engine bots are weighing your use of keywords. For this reason, it is imperative that you create content with the goal of writing and incorporating keywords naturally. Simply repeating keywords in illogical places throughout your content will likely lead to search engine penalties. Depending upon the severity of the penalty, your site may be at risk for future index inclusion. Using keywords in Meta data like title tags, header tags, keyword tags, and meta descriptions will provide search engine bots with a clear understanding of the context of your page and its relevance to specific search queries. When you place your primary keyword(s) in your article title, you provide your business with a strategic way to engage targeted consumers. Using your keywords as the anchor text and link text within articles can lead to an increase in PageRank or page strength. Further, implementing the use of your primary keywords throughout your content can function to both reiterate your overall message to your audience as well as define the purpose of your content to the search engine bots.
6. Keep your readers engaged and interested:
As described in point #4, we naturally thrive on instant gratification and immediate information. Because of the increasing need for speed in today's society, it is important to develop content that will create an impact, and that will provoke further questions, action, and interest among your readers. By continually providing your audience with fresh, relevant content, you're more likely to repeatedly garner the interest of your valued consumers. Several ideas for keeping your readers engaged include: developing a new angle on an old topic, creating an intriguing hook, and incorporating an element of surprise where relevant. Taking a firm stand on a controversial topic can also instigate conversation among your readers, although you will want to be sure that your words are not offensive to your audience. It can take a while to build trusting relationships with consumers, so it is imperative to keep their emotions and needs at the forefront of your mind. Maybe you're a copy writer that relies heavily upon lists to deliver quality content. Or perhaps you're the copy writer that incorporates perverse humor into your content for the sake of an array of immediate reactions. Regardless of your particular capacity, voice, or angle, your ultimate mission should be to retain readers and to increasingly build a loyal following. If well-written, your copy and content may also peak the interest and attention of other reputable subject experts. If you cite quotations or work completed by said authorities, then be sure to give credit where credit is due. Not only will this create some sort of relationship between you and the expert, but it will also make your content more credible and more beneficial to your readers.
7. Create a sense of urgency:
Creating a sense of urgency is critical to writing compelling copy. However, your sense of urgency must be authentic, and not a jumbled mess of words leading to an unclear goal or outcome. When writing copy for product descriptions or discounted items, you might consider adding phrases like "limited time only", "free shipping throughout the month of June", "act now", or "until stock lasts" in order to create an immediate impact on sales conversions. In article marketing efforts, you might consider incorporating elements of urgency in your title or headline in order to effectively and immediately attract the attention of consumers. Press releases are logical venues for conveying a sense of urgency. If your company has recently launched a new product or service or discontinued production of a once popular item, then you should leverage the power of a press release in order to capitalize on publicity or on fire sales. Infuse your sense of urgency into the hook of your article or by way of testimonials to provoke prompt action. Depending upon your business model and overall goals, there are a plethora of ways to implement a sense of urgency throughout your copy. By emotionally appealing to your consumers, whether it is through an urgent sense of excitement, fear, or motivation, you're more likely to increase your on-the-spot conversion rate. Did you double-take at the term "fear"? Excellent (think "Simpsons" and picture Mr. Burns here, while deviously tapping fingertips together). Creating a sense of fear in relation to sales conversions is a commendable method when done correctly. Employing a scare tactic in order to fuse fear and excitement in the mind of the consumer can be a powerful means of immediately increasing sales.
8. Incorporate calls to action:
Consumers respond to calls to action. While your copy may be compelling, sometimes that may not be enough. With the virtual world essentially replacing the need for human contact (shudder), it can be intimidating to reach out to a particular site or service in hopes of speaking with a "real" person. More often than not, companies lose out on sales because of their invisible calls to action. Upon reaching the bottom of a product page or an article, consumers should clearly be presented with a way to contact the company or the writer. Whether you list a contact form, an email address, or a phone number, implementing a call to action in your copy will likely stimulate an increase in sales. Compelling calls to action may include phrases like: "Contact us for a free quote", "Call us today at xxx-xxx-xxxx and ask for our web discount", "Buy now", and "Subscribe now for free tips". The lack of a call to action can result in frustrated visitors that are unlikely to ever return to your site. The consumer should be your primary focus, so providing your visitors with clear instructions on how to take the next step is critical in regard to closing a sale. Calls to action function as ways for your prospective consumers to navigate your site and to engage in a positive interaction with your company while simultaneously enabling you to effectively assist them.
9.Instigate and inspire conversation among readers:
Compelling copy should inspire conversation among your readers. In regard to article marketing, if you have written a content piece with a unique angle, then you may make your readers aware of information that they had not previously been privy to or interested in investigating. Once you have successfully mastered the art of writing in a conversational voice, then your audience will automatically be drawn to your efforts. By nature, people can identify with and tune into conversational pieces more easily and effectively than with formal content creations. It's important to follow your train of thought and to incorporate these voices within your writing, so that you can connect with and relate to a variety of people. Using contractions, asking questions within your content, and sharing personal experiences can translate into more active readers and a more loyal following. If you can create a piece of content that remains within the mind of your readers minutes, hours, or days after they've read it, then you have achieved some success. In order to continue to fuel your success, you should own your work, act as an authority on the subject matter, and provide your readers or consumers with follow-up questions or additional information within your niche. The more valuable content that you can provide your audience with, the more likely they are to seek out your work and to comment on your pieces. Many copywriters and companies alike find themselves involved in maintenance predicaments. It's okay to be friends with your Going through the motions of posting content will do you about as much good as not creating it at all. In order to succeed in your mission, you must remain active. It's okay to be friends with your consumers. Being a buddy is not the antithesis of being a professional. Establishing a two-way relationship is imperative to building trust and loyalty with your audience.
10. Summarize your key selling points and deliver a powerful closing:
You don't want to be that person that delivers the punchline before telling the entire back-story of a joke. Save some of your most important information for the end of your article so that your content culminates with a punch. Delivering a powerful closing is equally as important, if not more, as creating a compelling opening. You should strive to leave your audience with a summary of your key selling points so that they are distinctly left with information regarding the features and benefits that your company or your products can provide to them. Your selection, your navigation, and your service may each represent important elements of your business model. Discuss these aspects in your copy so that your consumers are aware of your overall goals. Your delivery may not call for a Mike Tyson knockout.. after all, you do want your consumers to remember your message.. but providing them with some pop is certainly on the docket.
As an Internet copywriter, you essentially function as a virtual connection, a sales contact, between products and checkout as well as between consumers and corporations. Your ultimate goal is to explain and promote the benefits of your goods and services. If you have done so effectively, then you can likely anticipate higher visitor counts, higher conversion rates, higher referral rates, and increased customer loyalty and retention rates.
Promoting your products and services is a part of copywriting. However, be careful not to lose sight of your consumers. Prepare content and information that will be useful throughout the purchasing process.
And for you, (yes I've got something for you too) enjoy what you're doing. Refrain from viewing your projects as assignments, or tasks to check off a "To Do" list. Understand that copywriting is an instrumental and powerful commodity, and that you should have fun while you're doing it!