Copywriting is the process of creating content for adverts or other marketing purposes, the product, called copy or sales copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action or even at times make a decision.
An individual who does copywriting is called a copywriter.
Design, content marketing, SEO, and growth hacking are all parts of a complete digital marketing plan, but copywriting is the glue that ties it all together. A copy gives your design meaning and lays the foundation for your content marketing, SEO, and growth hacking. Writing better copies enables you to convert more readers into customers or even followers.
Steps to becoming a good copywriter
A good understanding of your product: The first step in any copywriting project is fully understanding whatever product you’re selling. according to David Olgilvy, a legendary copywriter, is famously known for taking three weeks of meticulous study to come up with a winning concept for a Rolls-Royce ad.
Know your customers: This is also another important step to becoming a great copywriter as a good understanding of your customers greatly direct your marketing efforts and also how you sell. If you’re selling to stay-at-home moms, you’re going to write differently than if you’re selling to high-net-worth business executives, and if you’re selling to Fortune 500’s, you’re going to write differently than if you’re selling to startups.
Research: The questions below can give you an insight into who your customers are because copywriting is all about your customers and not your company.
- Question 1: Who currently buys your product? – This helps identify your current customers.
- Question 2: Who would you like to buy your product? – This helps identify who you would be selling to.
- Question 3: What does a typical customer look like? – This helps give insight to your typical customers.
- Question 4: What do customers love about your product? – This helps identify the compelling aspect of your product that is what makes your customers make that purchase.
Keep practicing: Learning from great copywriters like Gary Halbert and also following and understanding their copies will go a long way, you could even practice by writing copies for businesses around you.
You can also checkout some ad copies here.
What are the things that makes a good ad copy?
Attention grabbing headlines: It doesn’t matter whether you are writing for ads, a website redesign, Facebook posts, or landing pages. Headlines convince readers to click on your article and gives your copy a bigger chance.
There are 3 keys to attention-grabbing headlines.
1. Your headlines should be unique
The Internet and advertising world are full of copycats and people who thrive on plagiarizing other people’s content.
Don’t be one of them.
If you want to stand out from the crowd and sell your products, you need to have unique, attention-grabbing headlines.
2. Your headlines should be specific
As soon as your audience reads your headline, they should know exactly what they’ll receive from your product or service.
Steer clear of generic or ambiguous phrases, and describe what your potential customers will get very specifically (this is where the elevator pitch comes in handy).
3. A sense of urgency
You want your audience to think about what they’ll lose if they don’t take immediate advantage of your product or service.
Are they losing clients? Are they missing out on potential social opportunities? Capitalize on people’s fears of missing out (FOMO), and your headlines will help your copy convert like crazy.
Persuasiveness: Copywriting is more than just writing properly, it’s all about writing persuasively as persuasiveness is what gives you an edge.
Value proposition: Research from Nielsen Norman Group found that you have about 20 seconds maximum to grab a users attention, so it’s best to keep your proposition clear, simple and sweet don’t make things complex it’s a dead end.
Benefits: The big question comes “What’s in it for me?” The question asked by most visitors after value is being proposed.
Features properly explained: Your offering and it’s benefits are now known, now it’s time to explain the features of the products. Remember keep it simple and clear.
Strong call to action: By now, your prospects have a clear understanding of what your product is, how it will benefit them, and what the features are. Now is your time to strike the final shot with a strong call to action which means telling them what to do next.
Bonus
If you notice a call to action or a copy that made you to make a purchase do ensure to have it noted.
Tell us more in the comment section about your copywriting experience.