You bought a digital product you were excited about. You opened it and while the content was great and even helpful, you were struck by how ordinary it really was. You may have even examined it and thought, “Wow, I could create a resource like this!”
So, now you’re wondering what prompted you to buy. What got you so excited that you felt the need to push the ‘add to cart’ button immediately? What made you look forward to parting with your money in order to access the product?
Most likely, you were intrigued by the seller’s copywriting. Copywriting is the ability to convince people to take action based on your words. It’s essentially a fancy word for persuasion. If you’d like to learn more about creating convincing copy, read on…
4 Things You Should Know about Copywriting
Copywriting can make the difference between a landing page that results in big sales and one that visitors ignore. However, the good news is that copywriting is a skill, and like all skills, you can master it. Before you dive into the deep end of copywriting, you should understand a few things ….
- Copywriting Is Different
There are many forms of writing, some of which you might be familiar with already. Novels and songs are a form of creative writing. White papers and articles are a form of business writing. Essays and journaling are a form of personal writing.
However, copywriting is focused on getting the reader to take action. In some cases, this action might be signing up for your mailing list or following you on social media. If your reader does take action, this is called a conversion. - Copywriting Is Focused
Many forms of writing are about the writer. For example, essays and journaling may be a way of working through your emotions and observing life. Writing a novel or song may be about the story or concept you want to express.
Copywriting is focused on the reader. It’s about their problems and typically, you’ll want to present your product or service as the solution. If you forget this and focus only on your brand or product, you’ll end up with copy that doesn’t convert very well. - Copywriting Is Goal-Oriented
Some people use writing to explore. They write long, rambling pages about their ideas, products, or business. This may help you learn about yourself or your business; but, it isn’t truly copywriting.
Good copywriters know that their copy must have an end goal. Think of this as a destination when you’re on a long trip. You wouldn’t get into your car and hope that you end up in California. You’d pick a specific address and put it into your GPS unit then you’d start driving.
It’s the same thing with copywriting. Know what your goal is before you ever type a single word, and you’ll be more likely to succeed with your copy. - Copywriting Is Easy to Scan
Some online business owners make the mistake of thinking that copywriting is like reading a newspaper or book. They assume their readers will pore over every single word, gleaning everything they can.
Smart copywriters know that most of their customers and clients don’t read every single word on the page. In fact, the majority of your buyers will skim your sales page unless you’re offering a product with a high-end price tag.
This is why good copywriters make their content easy to scan. This means using bullet points, adding subtitles, including helpful quotes, and strategically placing images or videos. These small details may not seem that important but they can be the difference between a customer who buys your product and one who navigates away.
