Copywriting is a creative field, but that doesn’t mean it’s an art form. It’s more like a craft. You need rules to guide your creativity, just like in any other craft.
In this article, we’ll go through some of the most important rules for copywriting and how they can help every beginner and intermediate writer improve their work.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| Focus on audience understanding and tailor your message to their needs. |
| Use clear and concise language to convey your message effectively. |
| Incorporate persuasive techniques to encourage reader engagement and action. |
| Maintain a consistent brand voice to enhance brand recognition. |
| Craft compelling headlines and titles to capture readers’ attention. |
| Implement storytelling to create a deeper connection with your audience. |
| Proofread and edit your copy meticulously to ensure accuracy and professionalism. |
| Experiment with different writing styles and techniques to find what works best. |
| Continuously refine and improve your copywriting skills through practice and learning. |
Write In The Active Voice
The active voice is more engaging, concise, and persuasive than the passive. It’s also more direct, personal, and direct.
When you write in the active voice, you use the subject of the sentence rather than an actor or action as your main verb. The subject becomes both the performer of an action and its receiver; therefore, it can be easily identified as either a doer or a sufferer:
Here’s some advice: Write in the active voice as much as possible because it flows better and sounds clearer to readers who are not familiar with grammar terminology.
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Answer The Big Question ‘so What?’ At Least Three Times In Every Piece Of Copy
Address the big question “So what?” at least three times in every piece of copy.
How do you answer the question “so what”? Let’s say your product is a new type of pen with a built-in eraser, which makes it easier for people to make corrections on the fly.
You could write something like, “Ever wish you had an eraser on your pen?” Or maybe, “Don’t worry about carrying around an extra one anymore.” If you want to get more specific or elaborate on those ideas, use a bullet point list:
Ever wish you had an eraser on your pen?
Don’t worry about carrying around an extra one anymore!
Seek clarity, even if it means repeating a point more than once.
One of the most common mistakes that people make is to assume that writing a copy that is short and sweet is always best.
While brevity can be a virtue, clarity is even more so. After all, if someone doesn’t understand what you’re saying to them, they won’t get what your product or service does for them at all! And if they don’t get it, they won’t remember it later either and without remembering what you did for them then there’s no way they’re going to act on anything you wrote.
In Other Words: Clarity First!
Don’t clutter sentences with needless phrases.
Don’t clutter sentences with needless phrases. Get rid of any unnecessary words, like “very” or “really.”
Avoid using ‘just’ when you can. Using the word ‘just’ in your copy can make it sound unprofessional and as if you’re trying too hard to be casual. Instead, try another way of saying that something happened right away like “immediately,” or “next,” or even just use a period and leave it at that!
Avoid using ‘that’ when you can simply state what’s happening instead of how it’s happening (e.g., “I’m going on vacation next week” vs., “I’m going on vacation next week”). This will help keep your writing concise yet still descriptive enough to get the point across without being repetitive!
Avoid using ‘which’ when possible this isn’t always necessary for clarity either (“The book about cats was blue” vs., “The book about cats was blue; its cover had kittens on it”).
I think most people feel this way instinctively but then overdo it by adding extra adjectives just because they’re worried about sounding plain or boring…usually without realizing how much more interesting their sentence could be if they didn’t stray away from simplicity!!
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Introduce Your Topic With A Short Sentence, Then Start Writing Long Ones
The first sentence of your copy should be short. If it’s not, you’re wasting time and energy. A lot of people think that long sentences are better than short ones. That’s wrong! It’s the opposite: long sentences are better than short ones because they save time and energy in the end.
Let me explain: a good rule for everyday copywriting is that you should always start with a short sentence when introducing your topic to readers, so they know what they’re reading about right away without having to read anything else (except maybe “hello” or “my name is”).
Then after you’ve told them what’s going on in this post/article/book chapter/etc., then you can write longer sentences later on when explaining stuff further down the line–and these longer sentences will save time by giving more information per word used instead of just having one small sentence each paragraph like those other guys do over at Buzzfeed!”
Be Direct And Concise
Good copywriting is direct and concise. The best way to achieve this is by using short words, and short sentences, and avoid unnecessary words.
Avoiding jargon and clichés helps keep things clear as well. When writing for the masses, it’s important that your audience can understand what you’re saying immediately there’s no room for confusion or misinterpretation here. You also want to avoid passive voice because it makes your writing less active (and thus less powerful) than active voice does.
And finally, don’t be wordy; too many unnecessary details can bog down reading comprehension even further than just being too verbose would have done!
Use Short Words. (See #6.)
In copywriting, as in life, it’s best to be direct and to the point. Use short words; avoid long ones. The simpler the better! If a word is longer than three syllables, it’s probably too much for your audience.
Keep them short and simple you’ll find that people will remember them better and take action on your call to action more quickly.
If you’re not sure if your word choice is correct or not, use Google’s handy dandy “what does this mean” feature (which appears whenever you highlight text). It’ll give you some suggestions based on context clues and then you can see if any of those are shorter than what was originally written!
You don’t have time for flowery language when writing ad copy or sales pages; get right down into the nitty-gritty of what makes the product unique and why people should buy it right now before someone else does!
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Give Readers Nouns, Verbs, And Specifics
Good writing is specific. The writer gives the reader something specific to focus on, something to do, something to think about and believe in and feel.
It’s not enough for you to simply tell your readers that you have a great product or service for them you must convince them why it’s great by giving them specifics about what makes it so good.
Use ‘you’ rather than the name of your clients or customers when possible. (Eliminate usages like ‘Mercury users’ whenever possible.)
You should use “you” instead of a specific name or other identifiers. This is an important rule to follow because it keeps the focus on your reader, not your company or product.
If you’re writing for a client (or if you’re just being polite), try to avoid using the word “we” in place of “you.” For example, if you’re describing what people can do with your product, don’t say, “We have lots of great features!” Instead, say something like: Your customers can do all sorts of things with [product].
Use ‘you’ rather than ‘I’ whenever possible in copywriting too. When writing about yourself and what makes you unique, try replacing “I am…” with “You are…” The goal here is to focus on how this information applies directly to the reader not how it applies specifically to you!
Whenever you can use numbers to convey ideas, do so. They’re easier to read and harder to ignore than words beginning with ‘h’.
Whenever you can use numbers to convey ideas, do so. They’re easier to read and harder to ignore than words beginning with ‘h’.
For example:
0.1% of people who read this article will give me $100 in exchange for an hour of their time. Because they’re nice.
The average person spends 4 hours per day reading articles on the internet, which means that if they don’t buy my book right now, then it will take them 7 days (or 2 weeks) before they finish reading all those other articles instead of mine! And after that? Another 7 days until another batch comes along.
Whenever you can, write in positive terms rather than negatives; use affirmatives rather than negations. Avoid using double negatives where possible (unless you’re into that sort of thing).
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Avoid Using Double Negatives Where Possible
For example, instead of saying “we don’t have any problems,” say “we have no problems.” You can use a sentence like this: “We have no problems.” The point is to use affirmative language instead of negative language whenever possible. Be sure to avoid phrases such as: “I will not be able to do so unless…” Instead, write out what you want clearly in positive terms: “I’ll do it.”
Use positive words and phrases wherever you can, especially when they relate directly to the topic at hand like “success” or “achievement.”
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Conclusion
There are a lot of things you can do to improve your copywriting skills, but the most important thing is that you keep writing. The more you practice, the better at it you’ll become. And remember that even if some things don’t work for everyone else, there will always be someone who appreciates what you have to say!
Further Reading
5 Golden Rules for Effective Copywriting: Learn essential techniques to create impactful copy that resonates with your audience and drives engagement.
Copywriting Guidelines by University of Illinois Brand: Explore guidelines provided by the University of Illinois Brand to understand the principles of effective copywriting in a brand context.
7 Golden Copywriting Rules for Success: Discover seven crucial rules that can elevate your copywriting game and help you craft persuasive and compelling content.
FAQs
What are the key elements of effective copywriting?
Effective copywriting hinges on understanding your audience, delivering a clear message, utilizing persuasive language, and creating a compelling call to action.
How can I improve my copywriting skills?
Improving copywriting skills involves practicing consistently, studying successful examples, and learning from constructive feedback to refine your writing style.
Is copywriting different from content writing?
Yes, copywriting focuses on persuading readers to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up, whereas content writing aims to inform, educate, or entertain the audience.
What role does emotion play in copywriting?
Emotion is a powerful tool in copywriting, as it helps create a connection with readers, influencing their decisions and making your content more memorable.
How can I maintain a consistent brand voice in copywriting?
Maintaining a consistent brand voice requires understanding your brand’s personality, values, and target audience. Craft copy that aligns with these elements across all communication channels.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.