If you’re reading this blog post, you probably want to become a better copywriter. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to do just that! But before we get into those ways, let me ask you this: what does it mean to be a good copywriter? And how can one person improve their writing skills?
Well, for starters, it means using your words effectively and efficiently – no more fluff or filler. If something doesn’t add value or interest to your writing then get rid of it!
That’s why most great writers have a tendency towards minimalism in their prose; they know that the fewer words they use on any given project will result in better results overall. If I had written this entire article with only the above sentence then it would have been perfect (but also maybe too short).
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Embrace Unconventional Approaches |
| Infuse Humor to Grab Attention |
| Harness the Power of Anecdotes |
| Experiment with Playful Language |
| Break Grammar Rules Deliberately |
| Use Metaphors to Explain Complex Ideas |
| Inject Personality Into Your Writing |
| Connect with Readers on a Human Level |
| Surprise and Challenge Your Audience |
| Don’t Shy Away From Creativity |
Listen To Your Client If They Have More Than One Business
The first rule is to listen to your client. If they have more than one business, they may have different needs.
If you don’t listen carefully and take the time to understand these differences, then it’s likely that any copy that you write will be a bad fit for at least one of their businesses. On the other hand, if you do listen carefully and take the time to understand these differences, then it’s likely that any copy that you write will be a good fit for all of their businesses.
Writing persuasive copy requires a deep understanding of the audience and their needs. Learn how to craft compelling content in our guide on writing to persuade and discover strategies to captivate your readers.
Steal PPC Ad Copy And Use It For Your Business
The copywriters at Google have had access to billions of dollars in ad spend, and as a result, they’ve learned more about their audience than most small businesses will ever know.
They also have access to data about the products people are looking for, how much they’re willing to pay for them and how those prices fluctuate day-to-day. All this is invaluable data that you should be taking advantage of if you want your content marketing efforts to succeed.
If you’re paying attention during this process (and I strongly recommend that you do), there is no better way to learn what works and what doesn’t than through testing new copy on different platforms like Facebook Ads Manager or Google AdWords Express.
Don’t Overcomplicate Your Message
Most copywriters would agree that the most important part of any piece of content is its message. Every sentence, every word, and every sentence should be there to support the core message you are trying to convey. That being said, don’t make things complicated by adding unnecessary elements or leaving out critical information.
When it comes to writing a blog post or creating an ad copy, keep it simple and easy to understand so that anyone who reads it will understand what you’re talking about without having to read into anything else
Crafting effective legal guidance involves more than just legal knowledge; it requires precise communication. Dive into our guide on how to write effective legal guidance to grasp the nuances of clear and impactful legal writing.
If You Don’t Know The Difference Between Writing For Print Vs Web, Start
Print is different from than web. The tone of your copy needs to be much more formal when it’s on paper and can’t be adjusted by the reader or even yourself the way a website can.
This is why many people choose to write their print ads in the first person because it makes them sound more like authority figures. You don’t want your readers to feel intimidated, but with print, you have no other options but big words and complicated sentences that take up space.
Web writing is much more conversational because you’re able to interact with your audience directly by making changes as needed (or being able to see real-time results of what works and doesn’t).
You can also use elements like bolding or underlining within paragraphs or headers which creates a visual hierarchy so readers know what’s important without reading through everything paragraph by paragraph until they find something that sticks out enough for them to read in detail later on down the line.”
Stop Selling. Start Thinking About Value Instead
The first thing you need to do when writing copy is stopped selling.
Stop the pitch, and start thinking about value instead.
Sure, sales are important in a business sense but they aren’t the only way to make money. There’s no real correlation between sales and value: sometimes people buy things that are expensive but offer little value; other times they pay less for products that solve their problems better than anything else on the market.
Selling is a numbers game: if you keep producing more low-quality content with your brand name slapped on it (and maybe throw in some clickbait), eventually, you’ll hit upon something that works for customers, and then those customers will continue buying from you! Yay! But what if our aim isn’t just to sell lots of stuff? What if we want to provide real value for our clients instead?
That’s where thinking about value comes into play. If we focus on providing more value than anyone else out there (instead of focusing solely on selling), then people will be willing to pay us more money not because they have no choice but because we’re simply offering them something better than all their other options combined!
Transforming legal concepts into engaging narratives can enhance your writing’s impact. Discover the power of using metaphors in legal writing in our article about metaphor as a legal writing tool and elevate your communication skills.
Be Serious, Be Funny, Be Human, Be The Best
To be the best copywriter you can be, you need to learn how to balance being serious and funny (but not too silly), being human and professional, and being humble without coming across as arrogant.
A copywriter needs to be able to do all of these things at once. If you only ever take yourself too seriously or are only ever funny, then you won’t come across as credible; if your humor is always silly instead of smart or if it is too sensitive for its good then no one will want to work with you either.
The key here is balance: know when it’s appropriate for someone in your position at work/in life etcetera (e.g., “this meeting”) versus when it’s not (e.g., “at home”).
Hear The Reader Hurting Through Their Words
Look, copywriters! We all know that writing is a creative endeavor. But it’s also a collaborative one, and the more you can understand the needs of your audience, the better results you’ll have. So when you’re writing on behalf of another person or company whether it’s an ad campaign or a blog post ask questions.
Ask why they want to do what they do. Ask them if there are any goals they have that aren’t obvious from their website or marketing materials (you can bet there will be). And then listen very closely to how they answer those questions and use those answers as inspiration for how to craft your message.
I’m No Longer A “Copywriter” – I’m An Emotional Response Engineer
When I was younger, I thought copywriting was about writing words. And it is. But it’s also about a lot more than that.
Copywriting is about an emotional response. It’s about getting people to do what you want them to do by making them feel something specific and unique about your product or brand the idea being that if you make them feel enough, they will buy from you (or vote for your candidate).
To be clear: People don’t buy products because of features and benefits alone they buy things because of feelings their brain associates with those products or services (e.g., “I feel safe with this company because they have good customer service.”).
If someone doesn’t associate positive emotions with your product or service (or candidate), then they won’t buy it–no matter how many features are listed on the back of the box!
Mastering the art of copywriting involves understanding your audience and crafting messages that resonate. Explore unconventional yet effective tips in our article on quirky tips for the average copywriter to boost your copywriting prowess.
Turn Around Copy You Hate
You can learn a lot from bad copy, you can learn a lot from good copy, and you can learn a lot from your copy. But sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is sit down and write something that makes you want to throw up in your mouth. Because it will teach you how NOT to write. And that’s invaluable.
Stop Using Obvious Examples In Your Copy
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of “obvious” examples is clichéd ones. You know, the ones from every other business in your industry or niche that all use the same tired examples.
For example: When describing software, you might say something like “It’s like Google Maps but for your network!” Or if selling a product to businesses, you may describe it as “the Uber of (insert industry here).”
I get it these are easy and quick ways to help people understand what you do and why they should care about it, especially if their experience is limited in this area. But at the same time, if everyone else is already doing it? There’s probably a reason why!
Learn What The Most Successful People In Your Niche Say
- Listen to podcasts.
- Watch videos.
- Read books, magazines, and blog posts by the most successful people in your niche.
Attend events where you can meet others with similar interests, like conferences or networking events for copywriters.
And don’t just sit back! Ask questions of speakers at these events and make sure you get their business cards so that you can follow up with them later on if there’s something specific you want to know about how they got started or where they learned what they know now (e.g., their favorite resources).
Talk to people who are already successful in your niche whether it be friends or acquaintances who work as copywriters themselves (or even better yet: people outside the industry), but especially those who have been at it longer than you have, and ask them what advice they would give someone who wants to get started in this field today?
Become A Parrot Of The Best Copywriters Alive Today
There are a lot of great copywriters and content marketers out there to learn from, but you should only take the best bits of their advice the stuff that resonates with you. If it doesn’t make sense or feel right, don’t force it!
It’s also important to be aware of how your style may differ from theirs. You can use this as an opportunity to grow and develop your skills by learning how different writers approach their work differently, even if it seems like they would have similar styles or processes.
Success in copywriting goes beyond just the words on the page; it’s about understanding psychology and persuasion. Delve into our comprehensive guide on copywriting: writing for money and career advancement to uncover the strategies that can elevate your copywriting career.
Forget Buzzwords, Cliches, And Generic Jargon.
When you’re writing a sales page, it’s tempting to use buzzwords and cliches. You want your copy to sound professional, so you start throwing around words like “innovative,” “cutting edge,” “game-changing,” or any of the other thousand buzzwords that exist out there.
But these phrases can get tiresome for readers very quickly. And if they’re not used in a meaningful way and oftentimes they aren’t they’ll just make your readers roll their eyes or feel skeptical about what they’re reading.
Instead of using generic jargon, try describing what you do by using specific language that will resonate with your target audience. For example:
Instead of saying “Our software is easy to use” say something more specific like Our software has an intuitive user interface that makes it easy for novices as well as experienced users alike.”
Steal From People Better Than You – But Don’t Plagiarize!
Stealing is easy and fun, but you have to be smart about it.
Don’t plagiarize. Don’t copy verbatim or nearly verbatim (I mean, technically you can if you want to get sued for copyright infringement). If this seems like a gray area for you, just don’t do it. You will only make yourself look bad and remind people of how dumb plagiarism is in general.
Don’t be lazy: If someone else has already done great work on your topic or even just a section of your topic and they’re willing to share their thoughts with the world take advantage! They already did all the work, so why not use their insights?
Be sure that what they’ve written isn’t copyrighted (which shouldn’t be an issue if they share publicly), cite them properly when quoting or paraphrasing their content (using in-text citations), and give them credit where due (acknowledgments page).
Don’t be afraid to fail: Sometimes we learn more from our failures than our successes because they show us which paths lead nowhere while still giving us hope that other paths may lead somewhere amazing down the road! When trying something new, expect failure; embrace failure; plan for failure and then move on without letting yourself get discouraged by it!
Work With Other Copywriters To Become A Better Writer
It’s not a competition. You’re not trying to be better than anyone else, win an award, or even get hired for that matter. You’re just learning from your peers and making each other better writers in the process. The more you help them out, the more they will want to help you out…and the better writer you’ll become as well!
Conclusion
There you have it: quirky tips for the average copywriter (that might surprise you). We hope that these tips will help you to write more effectively, get more clients and make more money.
If there’s one takeaway from this article, let it be this: don’t be afraid to be different as a writer. After all, if everyone else is doing something one way, there must be a reason why they think it works!
You may even find that what works for other writers doesn’t work for you and that’s okay too! It just means that you need to find your way of doing things. In other words? Now go forth and create some kick-ass content!
Further Reading
Explore these resources to enhance your copywriting skills further:
Psychology Copywriting Tips and Examples: Discover how incorporating psychological insights can supercharge your copy’s effectiveness.
Effective Copywriting: Tips from Industry Experts: Learn valuable copywriting techniques from seasoned industry professionals.
Copywriting Tips to Boost Your Conversions: Neil Patel shares his insights into crafting copy that converts readers into customers.
FAQs
What are some key psychological principles to apply in copywriting?
Understanding psychological triggers like scarcity, social proof, and reciprocity can help create persuasive and compelling copy that resonates with readers.
How can I improve the clarity of my copywriting?
Simplify your language, structure your content logically, and focus on delivering a clear and concise message that is easy for your audience to understand.
What role does storytelling play in copywriting?
Storytelling can captivate readers, evoke emotions, and create a connection with your audience, making your copy more memorable and engaging.
How do I write effective headlines for my copy?
Craft headlines that are attention-grabbing, specific, and address a problem or benefit to entice readers to continue reading your content.
What should I consider when writing copy for different target audiences?
Tailor your language, tone, and messaging to resonate with the unique needs and preferences of each target audience, ensuring your copy speaks directly to them.
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.