The Basics of Copywriting
Welcome to my blog! If you would like to keep updated on new posts, please subscribe.
And consider following me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for visiting!
What exactly is copywriting? Good copywriting includes an eye-catching headline to get the reader’s attention, a short blurb in the beginning to reel him in, and information, testimonials, previous results, or anything else that will help sell your company’s products or services.
It sounds simple, right? But the key to good copywriting is to understand that you must deliver your message in a way that it’s understood by your audience. When you follow these basics of copywriting, your message will be clear and effective:
Understand and like your audience – It’s important to conduct audience research to ensure that you know who they are, outside of your subjective experiences. Find out what they want, what they know, who they like, why they like who they like, what they need, and the whys behind their needs. The more you know about your audience, the better you will be at creating messages to which they will listen and respond.
Let the audience know what you want – One of the most important parts of your message is your call-to-action (CTA). If you don’t know what the point of your message is, your audience can’t be expected to know either. Be very specific about your CTA within your message so there is no misunderstanding about what you want your audience to do.
Spell out unclear terms – Be sure to describe ambiguous terms within your content. Don’t assume that everyone understands what you’re saying, especially if your business deals with a technical or specialized industry. Always fill in the gaps to ensure that your audience knows what you mean when you say a particular word or phrase.
Repeat important points – Remember those high school essays that you wrote? You likely remember your teacher lecturing about the idea of repetition. You’ve heard it said to “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you just told them.” This works especially well with concepts that harder to understand.
Listen to your audience – Conduct a poll. Ask questions. Go where they hang out on social media networks and forums so you can listen to the needs of your audience. If your copywriting expresses a true understanding of your audience’s needs, they’re more likely to hear and understand your message.
Be honest – In advertising there is a term called “puffery.” It means to exaggerate the effectiveness of a product or service to express a particular message to the audience. While this practice is acceptable and legal in advertising, it’s better not to do this when it comes to talking about your company’s products and services. Instead, practice complete, straightforward honesty.
Check your facts – Maintain trust with your audience by double-checking any facts you provide in your copywriting. It’s not that people purposely deliver the wrong information, but having a double check helps. This is simply a good journalistic practice that you should implement in your own copywriting.
Write like you talk – Don’t try to put on airs when communicating with your audience. Write like you talk. Just be yourself. Whatever content you provide to your audience needs to represent you and your company to the best of your ability.
Your copywriting can be effective if your message is clear and appropriate for your audience.
Previous Post
Next Post