All good copy has one thing in common. It reads effortlessly, because the writer did the thinking for the reader.
Here’s how to write better and more impactful copy.
- Talk about “you”, not about “us.”
No one likes a brand that only talks about itself. So focus on the customer. How will your product change their life?
- Sell the hole, not the drill.
Most people don’t know how strong a 600 watt drill is, but they do know they want a hole in their wall. So focus on the outcome. Not on the features.
- Write the call-to-action first.
Hiking is easier when you know where you’re going. The same goes for copywriting.
- Say “good”, not “not bad”.
If I ask you to not think of a pink elephant, it’s now all you can think of. The same goes for “no hassle” or “zero disadvantages”.
- Cut the clutter.
Skip long sentences, strung together with subordinate clauses and dashes. You don’t talk like that, so don’t write like that.
- Create rhythm.
Questions, short sentences, and ellipses keep readers hooked. They add pace. They make reading enjoyable.
- Keep it simple.
Unless you’re writing a novel, use simple words and sentence structures. Write as if your reader is twelve. It will make your text understandable for those who might not be great at reading, and it will make it easily scannable for those who are.
- Don’t “If … then …”.
Do you write a lot of “if… then …”? This is how you stop doing so, by using a question and an answer.
- Avoid “can” when you can.
“You can join us” is just not as strong and convincing as “join us”.
- Read it out loud.
You’ll hear where it stumbles. Where it drags. Where your phrasing is weird.
Would you like to improve your copywriting?
