Writing Great Copy

Before we dive into copywriting in detail, we do hope you’ve been amazing and have had time to check out our latest blogs on our website, don’t miss out 🙂  Now that we’ve made the connection with you (Do You “copy”) let’s get into today’s topic of discussion

Copywriting is re-arranging words to make things sell better. It is a text form of salesmanship. But there’s a lot more to it than that…

Writing for the web

SEO / Website copywriting

Search engines nowadays are very, very smart, and they can tell what articles people are reading and actually enjoy. They actually LOVE great articles that actually help people!

What SEO copywriting attempts to do is:

• Find a keyword you’re trying to rank for.
• Write articles about the subject.
• Try to rank in the top of the search results for that keyword.

Writing for print

Direct response copywriting

Back in the day, before this “internet” thing, the only way to reach a mass audience was through physically written words. This could be in the form of:

• Postcards
• Letters
• Magazine ads.
• Newspapers

AND THEY ALL COST MONEY TO PRINT AND SEND PER CHARACTER

Writing for the fans

Social media copywriting

Crafting compelling copy that encourages engagement is tough. It takes skill and thoughtfulness to write strong posts. There really aren’t any disadvantages of copywriting in general unless you have some really bad copy. … The advantages of good copy are that it can better sell your product, communicate your message, and connect with customers. The best way to write great copy is to get inside the heads of your audience.

“So what? Bit of copy history – whoopdidoo … give me tips on how to write for my fans!”

Alright alright …

Let’s start with the basics … This may or not be examinable 🎓

1. Know your character Limits
2. To hashtag, or not to hashtag …
3. Understand the purpose of each social network
4. Define your voice + tone
5. Feelings and emotional with the language

Now for the fun part …

Type 1: PAS (PROBLEM, AGITATE, SOLVE)

This is the oldest trick in the book…Whatever book that is.

Here’s how it works:

1. State a problem. Your audience probably has no shortage of them.
2. Agitate that problem. Rub salt in the wound.
3. Roll out the solution. This is where you ride in with the solution, and the crowd goes (metaphorically, at least) wild.

Example: Your car won’t start. You’ve got an appointment in 15 minutes. Call a taxi* quick.

*insert taxi hailing company of choice; hey Uber, Taxify, Little Cab* 😋

Type 2: Lifesaver

Wouldn’t life be better if everyone used your product? This formula is all about stating that case to your audience.

• Show your audience what life is like right now. Make sure it’s not too impressive (yet).
• Then, explain how that world could be made better. The secret? It involves your product.
• Next, show them how your product or service can make that world a reality.

Example: Stuck scheduling social media manually? There has to be a better way. Try Social Tool* now.

*insert social media tool here; shout out to Hootsuite, Loomly, Social Report, Buffer, Sprout Social, Meet Edgar, Sendible, Tweetdeck, Agorapulse, Everypost etc

Type 3: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA)

Here’s another classic. It’s similar to the first two we’ve looked at but provides a clear path from getting someone’s interest and directing them toward a specific action.

• Get your audience’s attention. This could be with your post copy or headline.
• Stoke their interest. Provide some details to get them interested in learning more.
• Generate desire. Show your reader how much life could be better if they just …
• … take action. Give them a clear call-to-action to learn more.

Example: 1,000% growth? It’s possible. And it can be yours. See how.

Type 4: 4 C’s (Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible)

• Clear. Avoid using overly complex language or sentence structures.
• Concise. Keep it brief. This is good advice for writing on social media, in general.
• Compelling. Be interesting and relevant to your audience.
• Credible. Make sure you can back up your claims. Also, create posts around topics that you’re truly an authority on.

Example: Different flavours. One treat. See what makes Krushers irresistibly delicious.

Type 5: 4 P’s (Picture, Promise, Prove, Push)

• Picture. Set the scene. On social media, you can literally do this with your post image.
• Promise. Commit to giving your readers something they’re interested in.
• Prove. Then, prove you can deliver on that promise.
• Push. Next, give them a subtle shove to click and take the next step.

Example: You’re hungry but it’s a lazy weekend and so you don’t want to move, right? Don’t worry we deliver great taste right to your doorstep. Just call 0722 532 532

Type 6: Open Loops

Don’t tell the whole story in one post. Instead, create a gap that builds suspense using “open loops.” This entails giving people a hint about the beginning and the end while leaving readers curious about how you got from point A to point B.

Example: You thought the 4K camera feature was the best thing on mobile? Then you don’t know what’s coming your way at Samsung’s Do What You Can’t Nairobi event.

Conclusion

So there you have it copywriting is, at its heart, marketing.  With marketing, everything is about seduction. Subtle, precise and creative copy seduces your readers. So keep copying on and make sure you engage more with your audience.  Do you “copy”? Over and out 🙂

Oh and a deck with all this information is yours for keeps! Get it here 🙂