Sometimes people think that copywriting is only for sales pages or advertorials, but the truth is, you can use copywriting techniques in all the content you publish including email, blog posts, social media updates, and even eBooks and product descriptions.
Now there are some differences in pure copywriting and content writing. Copywriting is creating content that is made only for making sales, while content writing is done for the purpose of garnering interest, entertaining your audience, and informing them so that they come and stay on your site for a while.
Regardless of the type of content you’re creating, using copywriting techniques within content writing is a good practice to develop. It’ll make all your non-sales content work better to bring more traffic to your site because that traffic will be more targeted, and you will ultimately make more sales, too.
No matter the type of content you’re creating, learning copywriting techniques will help. Let’s look at some of the techniques briefly that you may want to use in all your content, regardless if it’s directly a sales appeal or informational in nature.
Write Compelling Headlines
When you write a good headline, you should try to be straight forward about what is behind the headline so that your audience will click through. It’s important to lead with the offer, the benefits, and the problem you’re solving in your headlines.
Story Telling
Good copywriting often incorporates a story for the reader or viewer in order to keep them engaged. You can focus on the story and the twists and turns that lead the reader or viewer through their buying process to make a choice. You can do this on blog posts, in email messages, and even during a webinar if you understand the point of the story.
Talking Directly to the Customer
One thing that is very different from the type of writing you did in school is that you should talk directly to your customer in your copy regardless of whether it’s a sales page or not. Yes, use the word “YOU” and talk to them as if they are one person instead of an audience or group.
Framing Everything Positively
One copywriting rule is that everything should be framed in a positive light. You don’t want people to read your copy and feel upset or sad even if the subject is difficult, you want them to feel empowered because they’ve found the solution.
Knowing When to be Repetitive
One of the techniques used in copywriting is repetition. When you use repetition the right way, it can make all the difference for the understanding of your content whether it’s a blog post or a talk.
Adding Facts & Stats
Another copywriting technique is to use facts and statistics in the copy to prove a point. Anytime you use information like that, and you can prove something about your ideas, products, or services using facts, it will improve conversions exponentially.
Keeping Your Writing Tight
When you learn to copywrite, you’ll also learn to keep your copy tight. You don’t want to waste one word or phrase or image when you are focused on good copywriting and that works no matter what type of content you’re creating.
Using the Right Words
Many people are afraid to write because they think they don’t know enough words. However, most people read in the 7th or 8th-grade level (of course you do need to study your audience to be sure) so using words that are too big or too showy or superfluous isn’t helpful.
Learn the Copy Writing Formulas
Ask the Right Questions
One big key when you do ask questions in titles, or in the copy, is the answer should always be yes. “Are you tired of frizzy hair?” “Do you want to create headlines faster?” “Are you ready to stop losing?” When the answers are positive even if the question addresses something negative, it energizes the reader or viewer.
Benefits Over Features
You’ve heard it before, and here it is again: focus on benefits over features. Learn about the differences between benefits and features so that you can focus on them well.
Add Social Proof
When your audience sees that other people also like you and trust you and use your products or services via testimonials, reviews, recommendations, likes, shares, and follows – more people want on board.
Incentivize the Reader/Viewer
One of the things that copywriters like to do is find ways to incentivize a reader or viewer to act. No matter what type of content you’re creating, this is important because even the most generic blog post or email should include a call to action.
Tug at Their Heartstrings
Making your audience feel something is also a copywriting technique that is used often. Look at some of your favorite commercials, and you’ll start to notice that this is how they get you; they make you feel. Make your audience feel, too.
As you learn the copywriting techniques that resonate with you and your audience, you’ll start creating better content for all aspects of your business whether it’s a sales page, email messages, a blog post, or some other type of content you are creating for your audience. All the copywriting rules and techniques you learn will only add to the positivity that your content already creates.
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