What is Effective Copywriting?
Copywriting is one of the most critical elements of any and all forms of marketing and advertising. The purpose of copywriting is to compel the audience toward a call to action. More often the “CTA” is the purchase of a product or service.
Copywriters persuade their audience to feel, think, or respond to an opportunity, an ad, or website offer, or introduction. Good copywriting influences your perspective and shapes or guides your way of thinking.
Good Copy Connects the Reader to a Product or Service
Writing effective copy connects the reader to the product or service in order to make an impact and influence the potential buyer’s thinking. Effective copywriting has to be powerful enough to form a bond between the reader and the story the writer has crafted to connect the reader to the benefits of the product by explaining the features. Good copywriting does three things:
it creates lasting value in the mind of the buyer;
builds urgency to purchase the product,
and, makes it special or unique to the reader.
Creating Lasting Value
The copywriter sees the product as assisting the buyer make their lives easier and describes it as such. It’s worth the buyer to go through the process of ordering the product and spending the money to purchase the product because it will help them in a way no other product can or will. It appeals to buyer’s preferences, style, way of doing things, approach to life, or whatever. Or it challenges them to think outside the box and try something new for a change. As a copywriter, those are always the fun ones to write for.
Build Urgency
When I learned how to sell from Tommy Corbett, he taught us one thing, once they get off the phone or walk out the door, they’re gone. The likelihood of them coming back is nil. So build urgency by encouraging them to purchase now! And it’s true. Most people only talk themselves out of a sale if they don’t buy immediately. Building urgency encourages them to do what they were going to do anyway. That’s different from a pressure sell, where you’re saying anything and everything to get a consumer to buy. There’s a big difference between a pressure sale and building urgency. Building urgency is a great way to recap or reiterate the value of the thing being presented, or use another example or present the object in a different context.
“Make it Special”
No matter what the product is, there’s likely something similar out there already. Or, it at least looks and functions in a similar way. The job of the copywriter is to point out how unique and special a particular product or service is, and highlight it. By making it special the copywriter, with the encouragement of the client, can offer an incentive to purchase now, whether it’s the added value of a discount, an added bonus. Even here, there’s an art to making the opportunity a one-time unique moment for the prospect by turning them into a customer. But not just a customer, a customer who sees the value of the product and is glad to have purchased it.
The Importance of Market Research In Copywriting?
How can the copywriter achieve all these goals? How are they able to connect with the reader and relay benefits, features, and value, build urgency, and tell a great story well enough to convert the prospect into a buyer?
That’s where market research comes in. Market research accounts for eighty percent of the copywriter’s time, on average. The copywriter consumes themselves with uncovering information about the product, its benefits and features.
The copywriter then begins to research the target market audience for that particular product or service by uncovering the target audience through research and then how to find them. This is usually done by creating a buyer persona.
Even if the client or manufacturer knows who their target market is, it’s important for the copywriting team to confirm who they are and the best way they can be reached. The copywriter uncovers the most effective way to speak to them, and in what language or genre. The copywriter needs to know where they shop, or go for entertainment so they can write effective content that not only reaches their orbit, but conveys the information in a way they will hear it.
Creating a Buyer Persona
The copywriter usually creates a “buyer persona” or a profile of who would be the typical buyer of the product or service after understanding its benefits and features. The writer puts together a profile of their target audience, asking questions such as, what do they do for a living? Where do they vacation? What do they do for entertainment? Where do they go when they relax? What would their house look like or where do they shop? What is their income range? All these clues create a profile that allows the copywriter to zone in more accurately on the likely consumer of the product. The writer then knows in what voice to write, what analogies and examples to use. These little things help connect the potential buyer with the product or service.
Buyer Persona: Social Media Examples
Perhaps the easiest example is the difference between Facebook and Linkedin. Even though they are two different social media platforms, each one uses an entirely different genre of speech, nomenclature, and vocabulary. One is more professional while the other is more social. Linkedin usually has a higher level of language and doesn’t use hyperbole. It typically avoids sensationalism and expects statements to be reinforced with citations, facts, and figures. That may be true for Facebook on a certain level, the Facebook crowd is a more relaxed group. Even if the same person uses both, as many of us do, they expect a certain level of professionalism from Linkedin. Therefore the writer must take certain steps to ensure that their content is appropriate. For example, they should use formal language and avoid slang. They should also make sure that what they write is accurate, well researched, and uses industry-standard terminology.
On the other hand, Facebook is more personal than Linkedin so it requires a different set of rules. On Facebook the writer can be more casual with their language and can take a conversational approach. They should also use humor and jokes when appropriate. Additionally, they should post content that is engaging, contains visuals, and adds value to the conversation.
Overall, it’s important for the writer to understand the distinct differences between Linkedin and Facebook content, as well as the rules they need to follow to successfully publish on each platform. Taking the time to develop a strategy for both platforms will ensure that their content is optimized for success.
By following these guidelines, writers can be sure that their content reaches the right audience with the right message. They should also monitor analytics closely to track their progress and make adjustments as necessary. With the right approach, writers can reap the rewards of strategically targeting their audience on social media.
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