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What is copywriting, exactly? Copywriting is the art and science of crafting persuasive words that sell your product or service and entice potential customers to take action. It’s like having a supercharged salesman who can reach all your customers at once through various channels, such as billboards, magazine ads, sales letters, blog posts, and more.
Copywriting plays a pivotal role in your overall digital marketing strategy. While design, content marketing, SEO, and growth hacking are all crucial components, copywriting is the glue that ties them together. It gives meaning to your design and lays the foundation for your content marketing, SEO, and growth hacking efforts.
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Mastering the art of copywriting allows you to convert more readers into customers, providing your business with limitless growth potential. On the other hand, relying on generic emails, ads, and sales letters may lead to ongoing struggles in making sales and growing your business.
You might be wondering how to become a skilled copywriter. Should you spend hours handwriting famous sales letters, read countless books on copywriting, or invest in an expensive college degree?
Fortunately, there’s a more accessible and efficient path to becoming a world-class copywriter. This article aims to guide you to become a world-class copywriter, which means being in the top 5% of the field. Achieving this level of skill takes about a month of focused and intentional work.
Becoming a true master copywriter, belonging to the top 1%, would require years or even decades of continuous practice and dedication. However, unless copywriting is your sole career focus, reaching world-class status is more than enough to run a successful business.
Becoming world-class in copywriting is an achievable goal, and the journey can be faster than you might expect. So, let’s embark on this exciting journey of enhancing your copywriting skills and unlocking the potential of your business.
Understanding your product inside and out is the first crucial step in any copywriting project. Legendary copywriter David Ogilvy spent three weeks meticulously studying a Rolls-Royce before crafting the winning concept for an ad. His final headline, “At 60 miles per hour the loudest noise in this Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock,” captured a compelling detail to sell the luxurious car.
Taking the time to thoroughly study your product is essential. By doing so, you can identify the unique features that will stand out to your customers and determine the benefits that will appeal to them. This chapter aims to help you discover what makes your product special and how to effectively communicate its value to your audience.
As a business or blog owner, you already possess an advantage. You intimately know your product’s features, workings, and customer benefits. This familiarity provides an excellent starting point for your copywriting. You can begin by jotting down what you already know without needing hours of research and note-taking.
However, to ensure you capture all the vital details, it is still worthwhile to follow the steps in this chapter. Write a complete product description, list all the features, and outline the benefits it offers. This information will serve as a valuable resource throughout your copywriting journey, easily accessible whenever you need it.
So, before diving into writing copy, take some time to complete the exercise of describing your product or service. By doing so, you’ll be armed with every detail and gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively sell it to your audience.
Get started by answering the following questions about your product (questions may need to be tweaked slightly if you’re providing a service instead of selling a product).
For the sake of illustrating each step of the process, we’ll create a hypothetical product that we can reference throughout this guide that is titled “Simple Survey Tool.”
For this question, provide a simple, two to three sentence description of the product. It doesn’t need to be super long or detailed and don’t worry about providing a fancy answer. Simply write down a short description as if you were describing the product to a customer.
Sample answer:
In our quest to find something truly exceptional about this product, let’s explore its distinguishing features and qualities. One standout aspect that sets it apart from the rest is its proud “Made in the USA” label, showcasing its commitment to quality and supporting local manufacturing.
Ease of installation is another remarkable attribute that gives this product an edge over its competitors. With a user-friendly setup process, customers can seamlessly integrate this product into their lives without any hassle.
But that’s not all; this product goes the extra mile by offering exclusive analytics that other sites simply don’t provide. These insightful analytics give users valuable data and insights, empowering them to make informed decisions and optimize their experience.
Now, let’s talk about its unique selling proposition (USP). This product’s USP lies in its ability to offer a seamless combination of top-notch quality, easy installation, and unmatched analytics. It’s a winning trifecta that captures the hearts of consumers and elevates its standing in the market.
So, what’s special and exceptional about this product? It’s the perfect blend of American craftsmanship, user-friendly installation, and cutting-edge analytics that make it a true standout in its field.
When considering a product, it’s not just about knowing its features; understanding the benefits it offers to customers is equally important. Unfortunately, many companies fall into the trap of merely describing their product without highlighting the value it brings to users.
For instance, a company might mention that they provide web analytics software, but fail to elaborate on the advantages of using the service. Instead, they should emphasize how their software helps customers build a more profitable website, increase revenue per customer, or achieve other similar objectives.
The key is to focus on the benefits rather than just describing the service.
Now, let’s turn our attention to your product. What significant benefit does it provide? How does it enhance the lives of your customers and address their needs? Understanding and effectively communicating the unique advantages of your product will undoubtedly set you apart in the market and attract a loyal customer base. So, what’s the big benefit your product offers?
Identifying the pain point that your product alleviates is crucial for crafting an effective marketing strategy. When customers buy a product, they are often seeking to minimize a specific pain or problem. To create a compelling ad, we need to address this pain point and showcase how our product provides a solution.
For instance, let’s consider a cleaning product. We could use a headline like this: “Tired of Stubborn Stains and Endless Scrubbing?” This immediately draws attention to the pain of dealing with tough stains and the frustration of spending hours scrubbing surfaces. The ad would then highlight how our cleaning product effortlessly tackles even the most stubborn stains, saving customers time and effort.
Another approach is to focus on the pleasure customers experience after using the product. We could try a headline like: “Experience a Spotless Home with [Product Name]!” This approach shifts the focus to the joy of having a clean and tidy living space, which our product can deliver with ease.
Both pain-focused and pleasure-focused approaches have their merits, and testing them will help us determine the most effective messaging for our target audience. By understanding the pain points our product addresses, we can tailor our marketing efforts to resonate with customers and offer them the ideal solution they’ve been looking for.
So, let’s identify the pain our product alleviates and use that as a foundation for crafting an impactful and persuasive ad. Together, we’ll create a message that speaks directly to our customers’ needs and ensures our product stands out in the market.
When it comes to understanding your product and effectively conveying its value to potential customers, there’s a simple yet crucial step you should take – listing down all of its features. This will serve as a handy reference for you while crafting your copy. No detail is too small; record every feature, whether it’s a long list or just a few key elements.
But wait, don’t stop there! To truly connect with your customers, you need to go beyond listing features. You must also outline the benefits that each feature brings to the table. Remember, customers are more interested in how your product can improve their lives rather than just the technical specifications.
For instance, consider the difference between promoting “15 mbps download speeds” and “high-speed internet that lets you stream videos without any interruptions.” The former is a feature, while the latter is the invaluable benefit that customers seek. By recording both the features and their corresponding benefits, you’ll be better equipped to weave a compelling story around your product that resonates with your target audience.
So, take a moment now to jot down all the features and their benefits. This simple exercise will provide you with a solid foundation for creating persuasive and customer-centric copy that showcases your product’s true value.
Understanding your target audience is a crucial aspect of any successful copywriting project. It goes beyond knowing your product inside and out; it’s about knowing who your customers are, what they desire, and what will sway them to make a purchase. Your focus should always be on the customer, not your company.
The way you sell your product will differ depending on your target audience. Selling to stay-at-home moms will require a different approach than selling to high-net-worth business executives. Similarly, selling to Fortune 500 companies demands a different tone compared to selling to startups. Each group of customers has its own unique set of hopes, fears, dreams, and expectations.
Understanding these differences is crucial because it shapes your writing style and sales pitch. To effectively connect with your customers, you need to know what resonates with them.
Defining your customer is a fundamental step in the copywriting process. Knowing their fears, wants, and needs will lay the foundation for compelling copy.
To truly understand your audience, put yourself in their shoes. If your product solves a problem you once faced, you’re already ahead. For instance, if you offer a service that helps entrepreneurs analyze why customers leave their websites, like my company Crazy Egg, writing compelling copy comes naturally. I know the pain of a high bounce rate and the impact it has on businesses, and I know how to fix it. This firsthand experience makes it easy for me to speak to other entrepreneurs facing the same challenges.
If your product or service isn’t something you’d use yourself, conducting customer surveys can be a lifesaver. Rather than guessing what your customers want, ask them directly. Marketing personas can also be invaluable tools to target your audience effectively.
In situations where you’re not directly working with the end client, such as being a ghostwriter or running a copywriting firm, find a way to survey the end user. This will provide you with valuable insights into what your audience is looking for, allowing you to craft persuasive copy that speaks to their needs and desires. Ultimately, understanding your audience is the key to writing compelling and effective copy that drives results.
Answer these 4 questions (again, the questions will need to be modified slightly for service businesses):
Identifying your current customers is a crucial step in understanding your target market. Whether you cater to startups or Fortune 500 companies, knowing your customer base is essential because they are the ones who support your business financially. If you are just starting and haven’t made any sales yet, you can skip this question and proceed to the next one.
Now, let’s delve into the second crucial question that will shape your marketing strategy: identifying your ideal customer. As we discussed earlier, your potential client base may encompass both startups and Fortune 500 companies. However, you may find it more advantageous to focus on Fortune 500’s due to their larger budgets and decreased price sensitivity.
While it’s entirely acceptable to cater to both types of customers, understanding your target audience enables you to tailor your copy effectively. By precisely defining your ideal customers, you can craft compelling messages that resonate with them and align with their specific needs and preferences. Knowing who you’re selling to empowers you to fine-tune your marketing approach and capture the attention of your desired clientele. So, let’s dig deeper and discover the key characteristics of your target customers to elevate your marketing efforts.
In this segment, our focus is on painting a comprehensive portrait of your typical customers. While the previous questions provided an overall view in broad strokes, this specific question delves deeper into understanding individual customers. Our aim is to closely examine a select group of real customers to gain insights into what truly matters to them. By zeroing in on these key individuals, we can uncover valuable information that will guide our decision-making process.
Understanding your customers is crucial, but knowing what truly delights them about your product is equally important. When it comes to Prius owners, their primary motivation lies in making a positive impact on the environment. They prioritize sustainability over aesthetics, which is why Toyota smartly emphasizes the eco-friendly aspect of the car, rather than its appearance. The focus is on the sense of responsibility and contribution to a greener world.
On the other hand, BMW owners are driven by a different set of desires. Their self-image and social status matter more to them than their carbon footprint. Owning a BMW signifies success and eliteness, and that’s precisely why they choose this brand. The allure of prestige takes precedence over gas mileage for this group of customers.
In crafting effective copy for both these examples, the key is to tailor the message to what resonates the most with the target audience. Highlighting the unique aspects of the product that align with customers’ core values and desires will capture their attention and loyalty. Remember, every product has distinct selling points that appeal to its specific customer base, even within the same industry.
Take a moment to reflect on the main reasons behind your customers’ decision to buy your product. What features or qualities do they love the most? Understanding these motivations will help you create compelling and customer-centric copy that speaks directly to their hearts and minds. Capture these insights in the document to guide your marketing strategies effectively.
At this point, you should have a good idea of:
The notes you’ve taken up to this point will provide a solid foundation for the copy you’ll write.
Headlines can make or break your copy.
It doesn’t matter whether you are writing for ads, a website redesign, Facebook posts, or landing pages. Headlines convince readers to click on your article and give your copy a fighting chance.
How do you write attention-grabbing headlines? There are 3 keys to attention-grabbing headlines.
The Internet and advertising world are full of copycats and people who thrive on plagiarizing other people’s content.
Don’t be one of them.
If you want to stand out from the crowd and sell your products, you need to have unique, attention-grabbing headlines.
As soon as your audience reads your headline, they should know exactly what they’ll receive from your product or service.
Steer clear of generic or ambiguous phrases, and describe what your potential customers will get very specifically (this is where the elevator pitch comes in handy).
You want your audience to think about what they’ll lose if they don’t take immediate advantage of your product or service.
Are they losing clients? Are they missing out on potential social opportunities? Capitalize on people’s fears of missing out (FOMO), and your headlines will help your copy convert like crazy.
In the realm of writing, copywriting stands apart as a unique and powerful tool. It goes beyond the art of crafting beautiful prose; it’s about wielding the language to persuade and captivate.
Picture this: you have a mesmerizing image that compels readers to take action. But here’s the catch—it doesn’t matter if you possess the skills of a literary genius or a wordsmith extraordinaire. Without the ability to guide readers through the right sequence of steps and ultimately convince them to make a purchase, your conversions will suffer.
Fear not! I’ve gathered a set of my all-time favorite copywriting tactics to transform your traffic into devoted, paying customers. Let’s dive into the world of persuasive copywriting and unleash the potential to boost your conversions.
According to research by Nielsen Norman Group, you only have a brief window of about 20 seconds to capture a visitor’s attention before they leave your page. So, it’s crucial to get straight to the point and make your value proposition crystal clear.
Keeping things simple is the key to an effective value proposition. By avoiding complexity, you ensure that your message remains strong and easily understandable to prospects. Short, sweet, and clear is the way to go.
Take Quicksprout, for example: “Grow your website traffic.” In just a few words, they convey the essence of their product, leaving no room for guessing.
Another great example is the Moz homepage, where they make their value proposition abundantly clear as well.
The key is to avoid leaving your visitors in the dark. Make sure they know exactly what you’re offering right from the start. Condensing the essence of your product into a few words is a powerful way to achieve this.
“Why Should I Care?”
That’s the question running through your visitors’ minds when they encounter your value proposition.
And here’s the catch.
Many people tend to focus on features rather than benefits.
But it should be the other way around.
Look at this insightful Venn diagram from ABC Copywriting:
ABC Copywriting Venn Diagram See how benefits take precedence over features?
Sure, explaining how your product works is essential, but you can dive into those details later.
First, you want to showcase how your product fulfills a need or desire.
In other words, demonstrate how your customers’ lives will be transformed for the better after purchasing your product.
Take a cue from this excellent example by Moz:
Moz Copy Example Moz Copy Example 2 Notice how prospects immediately grasp the benefits of using Moz?
It saves them valuable time and streamlines their tasks.
They no longer have to worry about deciphering complex data because Moz handles it all.
When describing benefits, three main types should be covered:
This informative infographic from ABC Copywriting sheds light on these different benefit categories:
ABC Copywriting Infographic of Tangible, Intangible, and Commercial Benefits As they wisely point out, “Benefits need not be unique, but they must be compelling.”
Keep this in mind when crafting your approach.
Personally, I find it most effective to highlight the benefits before delving into the nitty-gritty features.
This way, prospects are more likely to be receptive and engaged, willing to explore the details.
On the contrary, if you present the features first, you may lose a significant portion of your leads.
Just a friendly piece of advice.
In the climactic closing scene of the movie Seven, Brad Pitt’s character, David Mills, anxiously asks, “What’s in the box?” Though the answer turned out to be quite gruesome—a severed head—this powerful moment highlights the importance of promptly informing your potential customers about what they’ll receive when making a purchase.
Simply put, it’s time to reveal what’s in the box.
By now, your leads are well aware of what you offer and the benefits of your product. Now, it’s essential to concisely outline the features that set your product apart.
Take a cue from Moz, which masterfully achieves this:
Presenting features in bullet points or brief sections, like Moz does, enhances the “digestibility” of the information and makes it easy for your audience to grasp. Additionally, delving into specifics distinguishes your product from competitors, adding a sense of value.
Let’s take a look at how Quick Sprout tackles this:
Keeping it simple yet informative, Quick Sprout includes key details that showcase why their product stands out from the crowd, making it the ultimate choice for your needs.
By this point, your potential customers should have a clear understanding of your product, its benefits, and its features.
Now, it’s time for the final step – guiding them on what to do next.
Think of this as facing the ultimate boss in a video game’s final level.
Image of street fighter video game battle. Undoubtedly, this step can be challenging, but if you’ve executed the previous steps well, you should see a reasonable conversion rate.
Once again, simplicity is key, and there’s no need to overcomplicate your Call-to-Action (CTA).
Here’s how I approach it on Quick Sprout:
Quick sprout CTA example. And this is what it looks like on NeilPatel.com:
NeilPatel.com CTA example. As you can see, it’s crystal clear what action I want prospects to take.
As always, I highly recommend conducting some basic A/B testing on your CTA to determine what works best.
Consider testing specific elements such as:
With these optimization tactics, you can ensure that your CTA is powerful and effective in guiding your prospects towards conversion.
Okay, now we’ve covered the basic structure of well-crafted copywriting.
The general structure of a landing page should be roughly as follows:
But how do you ensure you’re hitting all the right notes and being highly persuasive?
Obviously, the value proposition and benefits will offer some motivation, but here are some other things I’ve found to be impactful.
Scannable content is a game-changer when it comes to engaging your audience and driving them towards your desired call-to-action. You already know that online readers have a different reading style than those offline, and creating content that allows them to scan effortlessly is key.
The good news is, creating scannable content is a breeze. All you need are some well-placed headers, bullet lists, and generous white space.
Take a cue from Apple, the marketing geniuses, and their MacBook Pro landing page. They have nailed the art of scannable content, and it shows.
Check out these screenshots from their landing page:
[Apple MacBook Pro landing page example] [Apple MacBook Pro landing page example 2]
See how seamless it is? The headers, bullet lists, and white space make it easy for visitors to digest the information and move smoothly from the value proposition to the call-to-action.
When you follow this formula for your content, you create a user-friendly experience that keeps your audience hooked and propels them towards your ultimate goal. So, take a page from Apple’s playbook and make your content effortlessly scannable for maximum impact.
An enlightening article on Business 2 Community delves into the fascinating concept of the three distinct brains we possess:
As the article explains, the old brain holds the reins of decision-making and is considered the most primal of the three. This intriguing revelation paves the way for a copywriting hack that can captivate the reader’s attention – the use of highly persuasive words that illuminate the “old part of the brain.”
In pursuit of enhancing your copywriting skills, we present you with an ultimate list of words and phrases that possess the power to convert.
[Image of list of words: the ultimate list of words & phrases that convert]
Among these persuasive words, research has highlighted the five most potent ones, showcased in blue:
By strategically incorporating these influential words in key locations within your copy, you are bound to witness a noticeable impact on the reader’s response. So, take a moment to infuse your writing with the magic of these words and witness your copy come to life like never before.
Now, let’s talk about the final and most significant aspect of your copy – incorporating social proof, the icing on the cake.
Social proof, one of Robert Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion, plays a crucial role in convincing people to take action. It taps into the human tendency to follow others’ actions, especially when they can relate to those who have already taken similar steps.
While I won’t delve into the nitty-gritty of social proof, I must emphasize that testimonials are a powerful tool pound for pound. When your prospects see positive feedback from satisfied customers, it builds trust and credibility.
In addition to testimonials, consider using other forms of social proof, such as ratings, media logos, subscriber counts, social connections (like your number of followers), and the list of clients you’ve worked with. The key is to be practical and provide the type of social proof that best persuades your audience to take action.
By incorporating social proof strategically into your copy, you can boost your prospects’ confidence in your products or services, making them more likely to make a favorable decision. So, don’t overlook this vital aspect when crafting your copy and watch your conversions soar!
Congratulations on mastering the basics of copywriting! Now, get ready to take your copywriting game to the next level with our additional posts. Each of these posts is a valuable piece of the puzzle, designed to help you become a top-notch copywriter in no time.
While you can read each post independently, we recommend going through the entire guide to gain the most from this valuable resource.
Let’s dive into the first topic – copywriting research. Understanding your customers and crafting compelling copy is at the core of successful copywriting, and this post will show you how to do just that.
Now that you have the complete guide at your disposal, make the most of these valuable resources to elevate your copywriting skills. With every post, you’ll gain new insights and techniques to become a master copywriter. Happy writing!
Once you have read all of the posts above to complete this entire guide you will have learned a LOT about copywriting.
To help tie everything together, we’d like to provide a checklist you can use for all of your copywriting projects.
This checklist will help you to remember what we’ve learned and enable you to employ all of the tactics included in this guide.
When it comes to writing compelling copy that resonates with customers and boosts conversions, thorough research is key. Begin by delving into your product and customers to fully understand the benefits and features of your offering and identify your target audience.
Start by describing your product in detail. What makes it unique and special? How does it provide significant benefits and alleviate pain points? Highlight the features and their respective benefits to give customers a clear understanding of what your product offers.
Next, conduct surveys to gather insights directly from your customers. Ask about their job titles, the companies they work for, and how they would describe your product to friends or colleagues. Inquire about any hesitations they had before making a purchase and what ultimately convinced them to buy. Understanding their needs and language will help you tailor your copy to resonate with them.
Now, let’s dive into crafting attention-grabbing headlines. Follow the four U’s of headline writing: make it unique, ultra-specific, convey a sense of urgency, and provide utility. Your headline should instantly capture readers’ attention and entice them to read further.
To persuade customers effectively, emphasize the benefits of your product over its features. Be as specific as possible, target their emotions, and leverage testimonials to build trust and credibility.
Keep your copy customer-focused by writing conversationally and creating a slippery slide that guides readers smoothly through your content. Use simple language, break up your text into short paragraphs for easy readability, and always get your copy professionally edited for polished results.
Now let’s reveal five more secrets to crafting powerful copy. Make customers feel like they belong and create a sense of exclusivity. Prove the value of your product and establish yourself as an authority in your field. Lastly, provide clear “reasons why” your product is a must-have.
To close the deal, employ strong calls to action, create a sense of urgency, make compelling offers, and provide guarantees to alleviate customer concerns.
Knowing when to use long or short copy is essential. Write as much as necessary to convey your message effectively, but avoid unnecessary fluff. Long copy is ideal for addressing objections, while sometimes, short and concise copy is more impactful.
Pair your compelling copy with thoughtful design choices. Use design elements to enhance your offer and ensure your copy gets read. High contrast for fonts and backgrounds improves readability, and graphic elements draw attention to headlines and critical information. While reverse type can be eye-catching, use it sparingly to maintain readability.
Lastly, testing is vital to fine-tune your copy for optimal results. Experiment with different subject lines, designs, concepts, and offers to understand what resonates best with your audience.
With this comprehensive guide at your disposal, you are equipped to write persuasive copy that drives business growth, increases response rates, and boosts conversions. Happy writing!
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