Hey, everyone! The TopVA team is back with another set of useful tips to bolster your strategies. This time, we're focusing on copywriting—specifically, copy that converts.
Copywriting permeates our day-to-day lives. The ads that play on Youtube that we all wish we could skip quicker? A copywriter wrote the script for that. Those email promotions you get that announce special sitewide sales? A copywriter wrote that, too. The clever taglines that pique your interest about a particular brand? Yep, written by a copywriter. This blog? You guessed it.
The point I'm trying to make is that copywriting is such a prevalent aspect of modern culture that we barely give it a second thought. It's everywhere, and therefore, nowhere. And that's where (most) copywriters make a huge mistake.
If no one really cares about the copy, then why put effort into it?
Well, I'm here to tell you that there is nothing worth doing without effort. And that's the same for copywriting. To create good copy—i.e. copy that converts—you have to put in the work. Good quality does not come easy, nor should it.
I suppose we have to define what 'converts' means in this context. For anyone with an advertising or marketing background, this concept should be all-too familiar. But for the layperson, converting refers to the act of persuading a prospect into a buyer. It's the customer journey, with the destination being a sale.
Why is converting important? It's obvious, isn't it? Sales equate to revenue. Revenue is money.
Now that we've got the formalities out of the way, let's get right into the thick of it. Here are our top 6 tips for writing copy that converts.
Research, Research, Research
As with all forms of writing, knowledge is power. And knowledge is best gleaned through rigorous research.
You can't talk about a topic you know nothing about, so make sure to do your due diligence and read up on whatever it is you're writing.
Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience is related to research, but it focuses on the market research side of things. More specifically, you have to get to know your target market so you can write copy that speaks to them.
Start at the End
Seems odd, doesn't it? But if you think about it, it makes sense. One of the most important parts of copywriting is the call to action or CTA, and this section is almost always found at the end of the copy.
Therefore, when you write copy that converts, you have to make sure that your content flows seamlessly into the CTA, and the best way to do that is to start with the end goal in mind.
Determine the action that you want your prospect to take (e.g. visit your landing page, book a call, send a DM, sign up for your newsletter, etc.) and work from there.
Use POWER Words
What are power words, you ask? Simply put, these are words that have weight behind them. They are punchy, eye-catching, and attention-grabbing.
Take, for instance, the word 'YOU'. When you come across this word on a page, your eyes are immediately drawn to it. You can't help yourself.
The copy is speaking directly to you, the reader. That's why it's called a power word.
Here are some examples of power words, according to Copyblogger:
You
Free
Because
Instantly
New
Now, it's worth noting that these words are very common, so you might want to switch things up. Avoid overusing them, lest you run the risk of writing content that looks like it was churned out by an algorithm.
Bonus Tip: Try writing power words in bold and ALL CAPS to bring more attention to them.
Appeal to Emotion
If you really want to convince someone, you don't use reason. You appeal to their emotions.
It can be any emotion, whether it's fear, joy, anger, sadness. Once you get the reader to feel something genuine, then you've got them hooked.
Practice Brevity
Enough said.
The Wrap-Up
We hope you learned a thing or two about how to write copy that converts. And if you don't feel like writing your own content, don't sweat it! TopVA can take care of that for you! Just contact us for information on our rates.
P.S. Don't forget to follow our blog for more posts like this!
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