Finally we will take a look at some of the most common mistakes made by copywriters and ways you can avoid these.
1. Skip the jargon, please.
Complicated words and clever cryptic phrases can really kill your copy. When most people visit websites they do not want to have to work hard to understand what they are reading.
If they do not immediately know what you are talking about they will lose interest and flick to your competitor’s site.
The best way to write straightforward copy is to imagine you are chatting to your best friend over a coffee.
How would you speak to them and how would you expect them to speak to you. Word that you would consider too formal for this situation are probably too formal for a website.
2. Let them breathe.
You might think that long paragraphs make your webpage look content rich and informative, but this is not what your readers will think.
Chunky paragraphs one after the other are seen as boring and hard to read.
People like to see white space on websites; it is easier on the eye and makes the reader believe the text will be simple to read and understand.
Short, high impact paragraphs are more effective than long complicated ones.
Keep to one idea per paragraph, and consider whether you could start a new paragraph after two sentences.
Many of your visitors will scan your webpage before they decide to read it in detail.
Highlighting certain words or phrases, and breaking up your text with bullet points, are effective ways of drawing their attention to the key points of your copy.
3. What does it do for them?
Sell benefits not features. This point is worth repeating because it is the key to killer copy. Your customers are not really interested in what your product does in general: they want to know explicitly what it will do for them.
Find out a bit about your target audience and what their needs are likely to be. Target these needs with your copy, and make sure that you detail the benefits of your product, stating how it will meet these needs.
4. Buy Now! Tell them what you want them to do next.
You have spent a lot of time on your copy, and you have spelt out the benefits of your product so clearly that your visitors are all geared up to buy. Then what?
Many writers baulk at the point of having to ask their readers to make a purchase, sign up to a list, or generally take an action of some sort. They hope that their visitors will know what they are expected to do.
Bear in mind that people are expecting to be sold to. Even as they begin to read your great copy, they are looking for that sentence that tells them what they need to do in order to buy your product.
Don’t disappoint them. Unless you ask your customers to purchase from you, the chances are they won’t.
5. Hook them fast!
Your customers’ expectations will have been set by your headline, so make sure they are not disappointed by your first sentence. Make it short and punchy.
Capture your customers’ interest by making a bold or controversial statement. The first sentence needs to leap out and grab their attention so they can’t help themselves, they have to read on.
Don’t let the idea of writing great copy scare you. No one knows your business better than you. No one knows your market better than you.
Copywriting doesn’t have to be as mysterious and elusive as many people make it out to be. You have the tools to create great copy no matter what your product or service is.
Focus on the core benefits of your product, how it will make lives better, and your job is half done. The rest of the job is easy, edit, polish, and test the copy to see what works.
Copywriting is important for your business but it isn’t permanent. All copy can be rewritten and made better. Enjoy writing copy for your customers.
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