Copywriting is a journey of discovery – not just for the audiences that you write for, but for you as well. With every advert you write and landing page you create, you get that little bit better!
But, if you want to get to the proverbial golden hill as quickly as possible, then stick around and I’ll share 5 copywriting secrets you’ll wish you knew about sooner!
1. Calm down with the ‘trust words’
Many copywriters argue that you should use words like ‘authentic’, ‘perfect’, ‘friendly’, ‘leading’, and a multitude of other ‘trust words’ in order to set your readers’ minds at ease.
The reality is, you shouldn’t feel obligated to go overboard with such language – particularly if you have plenty of social proof.
For one thing, self-praise is no recommendation and if you keep having to remind people that you are friendly, it isn’t going to carry much weight.
So, secure that SSL certificate and get those 5-star reviews on your page; prove it instead.
This agency who specialises in SEO in Dubai is a great example of a company that lets their clients and case studies do the talking for them.
The purpose of your copy is to engage your reader – which means talking about them – not you.
2. Consider using ‘fear words’ instead
Remember, you don’t need to tell your readers how awesome and trustworthy you are. Instead your aim should be to demonstrate that you thoroughly understand who they are, what they are going through, and what their biggest pain points are.
They have a problem and they are hoping that you can provide a solution!
So, use ‘fear words’ to agitate those pain points. Words like: ‘scary’, ‘costly’, and ‘frustrating’.
Just make sure you throw in a little light-hearted humour to remind them that you are a friend and not a foe!
3. Lead them to your perfect solution
Once you’ve aggravated the pain points a little bit, lead them on a journey of discovery to your perfect solution.
The fact is, these pain points will be fresh in their mind as you’ve reminded them about their struggles. Now, while they are feeling the emotion, slap them with an awesome solution.
How wonderful is it that you have cracked the case? That you have just the remedy to set all of the woes right?
4. Keep it nice and simple
This is a lesson that many copywriters learn far too late into their careers: keep it simple! Copywriting is all about concision, not going off on a tangent and using unnecessarily colourful or verbose language.
If you love to write long-form content, start writing articles instead and leave the sales copy behind.
However, if you wish to be a successful copywriter who can produce highly effective writing: simplify everything.
My favourite saying is: “Cut the fat”.
Read each sentence out loud and think to yourself: “Does every single word need to be present in that sentence in order for it to work?” The odds are it can be refined even further – for the best results.
5. Benefits – not features
It isn’t a face cream with organic bronzing agents; it’s “a healthy golden complexion in a bottle!”
In order for you to be as effective as possible in your copywriting you need to get your readers excited.
What do they get from buying your products or signing up for your services?
If they want a bulleted list of features they’ll know where to look. But in your sales copy or adverts, you’ve got to get straight down to brass tacks – the benefits.
What does this do for me?
Final thoughts
Most copywriters make the mistake of focusing on the brand, the features, and trying desperately to establish trust.
Flip it on its head! Instead, focus on the individual reader, the benefits, and let your satisfied customers handle the rest by way of social proof.