Copywriting (not to be confused with copyrighting) involves strategically writing words that promote a person, product, business, opinion, or idea, with the ultimate intention of having the reader take some form of action. Here are a few nuggets to keep in mind for effective copywright:

Identify Your Target Audience:

Your target audience plays a pivotal role in deciding the fate of your business. No matter the size of your organization, the target audience form an integral part of every commercial activity’s success. Also keep in mind that consumers are bombarded daily with an infinite number of advertisements and promotional messages. So, if something does not seem relevant to them, they will immediately discard it. Therefore it is essential that you research your audience's tastes, habits and preference before writing your copy.

Ask A Question:

Ask the reader a simple question early on they’ll say ‘yes’ to. This will precondition them to be more likely to agree with you and say ‘yes’ to your offer later on. Ask a question that helps the reader identify a need or problem that your product or service can address.

Call to Action:

Even the best writing will fail if it does not include a call to action. Determine what action you want the visitor to take before you even start writing. Then be sure to finish your copy by posting a link or offering another specific next step for them to pursue the goal you have driven them toward.

Mention the Service Benefits:

Let the customers know how they will benefit from your services. Provide every required detail that exclusively focuses on stating the service attributes. Do not include faulty promises and exaggerations in the copy, as they can work against your objectives.

Keep It Simple:

People skim read online and have the attention spans of goldfish. With that in mind, Avoid lengthy words which can can create needless confusion. Ensure every word and sentence means something to the reader and adds to your argument. Break up up your page with subheads and bullets to aid skim reading. Avoid using jargon in your copy. If you want to attract your reader's attention speak his language. And finally, avoid showy writing. This isn’t sales writing: you need to focus on what the reader wants, rather than use elaborate words and marketing cliches in a misguided attempt to sound impressive.

Get A Response:

Use positive inspiring language on what the reader ‘can’ achieve and ‘will’ be able to do. Avoid negative terms that might dampen their spirits. Use power words to charge up your writing’s impact, such as ‘revealed’, ‘proven’, ’scientific’ and ‘breakthrough’. Ultimately your copy should motivate the reader’s emotional triggers and compel them to take action.

Reviewing your Copy:

Reviewing is a crucial copywriting process that allows you to examine and scrutinize each and every single word in your copy. Ideally, it is recommended that a copy should be reviewed at least three times to catch and avoids errors.

One last note I'd like to add: Copywriting is often compared to a conversation with an old friend. So it should be conversational and sound similar to how you would speak. Read it aloud to hear whether it flows smoothly.

Thinking Outside The Box,

Johanna Golphin
Lead Designer
www.3PeasDesign.com