Chapter 1: What Is Copywriting?
Copywriting is basically marketing. Copywriting is persuasive and it promotes an overall idea about a company, product or service. It is one of the most important aspects of marketing.
Copywriting can include anything from slogans to articles. Understanding copywriting is essential to being able to successful run a marketing campaign.
Basic copywriting has the single intention of selling. The reason for the copy is to sell a product or service. When it comes to website copywriting, though, there are two main intentions.
Website copywriting has the goal of selling and also a goal of boosting search engine rankings. For this reason, website copy is usually more in depth and wordy than the typical copy.
Copywriting is the aspect of choosing words and text. It does not usually include the look of the copy. However, when it comes to website copy, all aspects are considered.
Since the main idea of copywriting is to sell an idea, product or service, it is very important for a business owner to understand what makes up a good copy. It is all about quality content that gets to the point and captures the potential customer?s attention.
Copywriting is about knowing how to use words. You have to know how to manipulate them and put them together in a way that achieves your ultimate goal. A good copy will grab attention and make people excited.
The internet is a large place to try to run a business. Success in the internet market place is all about catching people?s attention. You have to be able to get people to come to your website if you ever want to sell a thing.
Copywriting can be the way to get visitors and make money. With all the competition online, copywriting can be one of the ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. You must have something that will set you apart or you will get lost in the crowd very easily.
Effective copy is going to speak your target audience. It is going to offer useful information that will captivate them. You should address concerns, answer common questions and explain your product or service in your copy.
Remember, though, that your copy must be easy to read and something that will hold the readers attention.
Your copy should make your customers want your product and feel, even, as if they need your product. You have to sow the seed in their mind that they can not live without your product. Effective copy can do just this.
It helps to write your copy from the point of view of your target audience. Use language they would use. Talk as they would talk. You have to relate to them on that deeper level or they will likely click away to someone else?s website.
Copywriting can really make a huge difference in your online presence. It can bring in a large crowd or it can keep people turning away. Hence, this is why it is so important to understand copywriting.
As a business owner, you understand that marketing your business is important, in fact, essential to your businesses success. However, if you never understand and grasp the concept of copywriting, then you will never be a success.
The quality of your products and how great they are is something only you will know until you start telling people about it. Essentially, that is what your copy will do.
You should approach your copywriting with the same enthusiasm you have when talking about your products. You want to convey that in words to your readers. You have to be passionate and articulate.
You have to use the power of words to draw a mental picture for your readers about just how great your product is and why they must buy it.
Your copy is something very important that you should spend plenty of time developing it and revising it until it is perfect. This is one area where you will not want to just throw something together.
Copywriting is something that not everyone can do. If you find yourself struggling with copywriting, then you may consider hiring someone to write it for you.
This is a good idea for someone who can talk passionately about their product, but that can not seem to get those words into print.
A trained and experienced copywriter can turn verbal passion into written passion for a copy that will blow your customers away.
That is the bottom line of copywriting. You want to blow your customers away so you can start your business on the road to success.
Chapter 2: Making Copywriting Speak To the Customer
Speak to Your Customers via Web Copy
One of the key components to good copywriting is to make your copy speak directly to your customer. This means avoiding the common tendency of being generic.
It also involves speaking to the customer, not at them. By making your copy personal, you will have a better chance of reeling in your customers and really grabbing their attention.
People respond best to their name. When a person sees something with their name on it, they are more likely to read it. The internet offers many tools that allow you to personalize your copy for your customers.
These tools will insert your customers name into the selected areas of the text. This can have a very powerful effect.
Your copy should be written so that an average person can easily read it and understand it. Many times when writing a copy, people get lost in technical jargon or tend to talk around the subject.
The trick is to just write in a plain and straight forward manner. Your customers will be more likely to read through to the end if you do.
Knowing your audience is a must. This is critical to writing copy. You have to understand them in order to be able to write for them. When you are writing a copy, you want to speak to your customers thus engage them. You do not want to preach at them or jam your message down their throat.
You should write in a friendly manner. You want to avoid writing in third person, which comes across as distant and will not allow you to really connect with your customers. You should try using first person, if possible.
Your goal should be to keep the customer interested. You want them to keep reading. You have to grab their attention and keep it. You have to make what you are saying interesting to them.
You should always keep your objectives in mind so that you are focused when writing your copy. Even though you are trying to be friendly and engaging, you still have your main objective of selling to keep in mind. You have to learn to write copy so you can sell without being boring or pushy.
The internet marketplace has really changed a lot about copywriting. The internet is a whole new world where everything is about the written word. In no other marketplace does the written word have so much power.
The internet is a huge place with many options. Copywriting is so important to the online business world because it is usually the only contact a business will have with their customer.
Often if a person comes across a business website and the copy is not grabbing their attention and engaging them, they will simply click away. The opportunity for a sale is lost and the person is unlikely to ever return.
Online, you have one chance to make an impression. Your copy has got to be right on or you will not sell. It is that simple. Your copywriting is the backbone of your online business. You can not mess around when it comes to your copywriting.
Copywriting for the online business marketplace is something that has a lot of power. It is the connection between the customer and the business. It is the one time a business gets to sell and the one time they have to impress potential customers.
The things mentioned about keeping your copy personal, friendly and direct are very important to writing internet copy. This is because you get that one chance to reel your customer in and taking this approach is the best way to do it.
Many things online are very impersonal. When a customer runs across something that is personal, they are likely to stop and take a minute to check it out.
The same thing can be said about being friendly. Many online things are quite blunt and when a person comes across something that is friendly and engaging, they are more likely to stop and read it.
There are many websites which have copy that is written in almost a riddled style. It can be hard to get the point. When you are writing copy that is direct and gets to the point, you are going to be more likely to have customers that read through to the end.
Writing copy is almost an art form. Good copywriters can spin the best copy that will do everything from engaging the reader to selling the product, all without the customer ever feeling like they were being sold to.
Chapter 3: The Art of Keeping It Simple in Copywriting
Keep Your Web Copy Simple
Copywriting is an online businesses best tool. When done correctly, it is the main driving force behind a business?s success. In order to be able to produce good copy, a person must know some of the fundamentals of copywriting.
When it comes to the internet it can be tempting to make your copy flashy. You may think using glittery letters or designer backgrounds adds to your copy. In reality, that is not true and it may, in fact, do just the opposite.
Copywriting is all about the power of words. It is the words that make all the difference, not the layout. One of the fundamentals of copywriting is to write with black lettering on a white background. This keeps things simple.
You can focus on your words and what?s important. Your copywriting should not need anything fancy to make it interesting.
If you feel like you have to jazz up your copywriting, then you need to do some serious revision. Copywriting should be strong and able to stand on its own.
Using black text on a white background is not as plain as it sounds. The internet is littered with flashy web pages. A page of black text on a white background may just be the best way to catch someone?s attention.
When your website pops up a person may actually take a minute to see what this plain looking page is all about. The words will be more likely to stand out too, so they will do a better job of catching the customer?s eye.
You can do more with a simple page than you could ever do with a page filled with animation, fancy lettering and all that other stuff many websites use to attract attention. A simple page looks much more professional. It makes a good impression about the business in the customers mind.
When people see a webpage that is filled with all the crazy stuff, they are not likely to think a professional business person put it together. They may start to doubt the company?s abilities or products, which in the end could cost a sale.
A professional website is an online businesses best asset. People are more comfortable with doing business online these days, but they still have their reservations. Making customers feel comfortable and like they can trust your business is still essential.
To make customers feel secure, you have to provide a professional image. You have to make them feel like you care and you have to become a trusted source of information. By simply using a layout of black on white, you can begin to build this relationship.
You are going to stand out from the crowd, not because you try too hard, but because you are keeping it simple. Your customers will see that you are serious about business and that will really get their attention.
Then it is simply a matter of using the power of your words to reel them in. You have managed to do something that so many internet business people have overlooked. The power of strong words, a focused message and a simple presentation is something not to under estimate.
Additionally, when it comes to the internet, all that fancy stuff can really cause problems.
First, customers do not want to strain to read what you have written. Secondly, for those with slower download speeds, it could take a while for your website to load and they may decide it is not worth waiting.
Copywriting should be about the message and nothing else. Too many times people get caught up in making their copy look good. That is where many people go wrong. The idea of good copy is not how it looks, in lieu how it reads.
The time you spend should be on writing the actual copy, not designing a layout or look for it. If you spend more time writing the copy, then you will do a much better job. Your final product will catch more customers this way.
Writing good copy is something that will come with practice. You can get a good start, though, by focusing on the writing. Keep in mind that your words hold more power than a glittery font, any day.
When putting together your copy, you can use different size of fonts to help emphasize if needed. You can use italics or bold font, as well. You just have to remember that 99% of copywriting should be actually spent writing. It just pays to stay with the basic black on white layout, though.
This is just a small part of volume 1 Of Killer Web Copy Writing. For the complete three volumes,?please contact me here
Chapter 7: Starting with the Headline
The Extreme Importance of a Headline in Copywriting
The headline of a sales copy is perhaps the most important part of the whole piece. The headline is what grabs the reader?s attention and gets them to read the rest of the copy. It is the first thing they see and can be the key to the whole copy.
It is essential for every copywriter to fully understand what it takes to write a good headline. It is also important for a copywriter to understand why the headline is so important.
The headline should be so compelling that it makes the reader want to read more. The headline serves the purpose of drawing in the reader and peaking their interest.
Everyone has heard that first impressions are very important. You should think of your headline as the first impression you give off about your business and your product.
You want that first impression to be compelling, interesting and intriguing. You want the reader to be impressed. You want them to want more.
Your headline should do three things. It should grab attention, communicate a message and entice the reader to read on.
There are many different ways to write a headline. In fact, there are eight main ways to write a headline. You can use any of these ways that works for what you are trying to sell.
The first type of headline is a direct headline. This type of headline is blunt and straight to the point. The reader should clearly know what is being sold and what the great offer in just by reading the headline.
The second type of headline is an indirect headline. Unlike a direct headline, this type of headline uses a subtle manner. Its main goal is to make the reader curious so they feel they must read more. Commonly indirect headlines use words with double meanings.
The third type of headline is a news headline. This type of headline is an announcement. It is something newsworthy. The idea is to be compelling.
The forth type of headline is a ?how-to? headline. This type of headline is very popular. It works very well at selling almost anything. Basically, the headline starts with the words ?how to? and goes from there.
The fifth type of headline is a question headline. It asks a question that is something a reader will want to find the answer to.
The sixth type of headline is the command headline. This type of headline basically tells the reader to do something. The trick to this type of headline is to use strong words that will trigger action in the reader.
The seventh type of headline is the reason why headline. This type of headline does not need to have the words ?reason why?, but will usually contain a number. It is going to highlight a certain number of things the reader will learn if they read on, for example: ?5 Ways to Lose Belly Fat.?
The eighth type of headline is the testimonial headline. The testimonial headline is just like it sounds; you take something someone has said about your product and turn it into a headline.
Once you figure out what style of headline you want to use, then it is time to get writing. You have to make sure it is clear and well written.
No matter what style you choose, you have to use strong words and make sure your point is getting across. Your headline has to have the following characteristics:
? It must offer something useful to the reader.
? It has to make the reader feel as if they must read more.
? It has to include something that tells the main point of the copy.
? It should be specific.
It is also important to not get carried away with a headline. If a headline is too wordy, then a reader may avoid reading it at all. In general, headlines should stick to a maximum of eight words.
The headline is so important to the success of copywriting that you should plan on spending as much time writing it as you do writing the rest of the copy.
The biggest mistake a copywriter can make is to simply throw together a headline. Good headlines require work.
You should be very dedicated to writing your headline. It is, after all, going to be almost as important as the rest of your copy. It makes no sense to write a great copy and have a terrible headline because the chances of your readers reading the rest of the copy are slim to none if your headline doesn?t reel them in.
Chapter 8: Making a Hook with Your Sub Headline
Pump Up Your Copywriting with Sub Headlines
Most copywriters understand that the headline is an essential part of their copy. It is also important to know that the sub headline is also an essential part of the copy. The sub headline is like an extension of the headline. It continues to reel in the reader and provide even more intriguing information that keeps a reader reading.
In web writing headlines are often one of the biggest ways to keep readers reading. They introduce each section of your writing, letting the reader know what they are about to find out. The sub headlines do not have to be as bold as the headline, but they should still grab the reader?s attention.
Sub headlines do not have to be stuffy or boring. In fact, they should not be boring, they should be exciting. They are the key to keeping the reader reading.
Your goal is to get a reader to read all the way to the end of your copy, so they can order. With well written sub headlines you can do this easily.
Your sub headlines can be catchy and even bold. You can use them as highlighted notes that give a hint that there is much more to come if the reader just keeps reading.
To write a good sub headline you need to think of it as a headline with a very specific point. Your headline is basically introducing the whole, general copy. Your sub headline, on the other hand, is introducing a specific part of your copy.
Where headlines can be very generic and broad in scope, a sub headline can not. A sub headline needs to be specific and pointed. It should be relevant to the following section of text.
You will likely find that as you are writing your headline you may come up with some ideas that can work as sub headlines. Just keep your work documented, so you do not lose those good ideas.
If you have a general outline for writing your copy you can probably take each section and brainstorm about the sub headline. If you do not have an outline, then you may just want to brainstorm about the different things you are planning to write.
Sub headlines work for a few reasons. They help to break up the copy, they help to highlight key points and they keep the reader intrigued.
Web readers are much different than people reading off line. Most online readers are looking to get through content quickly. They do not want to waste time reading long drawn out content. Sub headlines help to break up the copy so it does not look like a large block of text, which would turn most readers away.
Sub headlines also help to highlight key points throughout the copy. Many web readers simply skim content and really do not read through word for word.
They skim by looking for highlighted text, bullet points and headlines. They just read these things and are able to get the basic idea about what the copy says.
The main point to sub headlines is to keep the reader intrigued. Sub headlines help to keep the reader interested. They read each section and when they get to the end then the next sub headline catches their attention and keeps them reading on through the rest of the copy.
Every copy that is effective and worthwhile that has been written for the web will have sub headlines. They will use them efficiently and to the fullest potential. Sub headlines can make your copy writing stand out.
Sub headlines can be something that can really change your copy from just a piece of writing to a selling masterpiece. They can transform your carefully chosen words and masterfully crafted sentences into a pure form of copywriting art. Sub headlines are just that effective and important.
As mentioned, your ultimate goal is to have readers read your copy all the way through. A headline can only do so much.
It will not keep the interest of a reader for very long once they actually get into reading the copy. This is why sub headlines are so important, not to mention all the other reasons mentioned before.
As a copywriter, you have to make sure to use all the tools available to you. Sub headlines are a tool that you should not overlook or take for granted. You need them to make your copy effective and efficient. Most of all, you need them to make your copy successful.
This is just a small part of volume 2 Of Killer Web Copy Writing. For the complete three volumes,?please contact me here
Chapter 14: Truth about Web Copywriting
The Importance of Being Truthful In Copywriting
One of the cardinal rules of copywriting is honesty. Being a copywriter requires a person that is able to keep it real when trying to sell a product. There is no room for lies or for stretching the truth.
A copywriter is only as good as their reputation. Nobody wants a copywriter who has been proven to be a liar. This will not help product sales at all. Once people realize that a copywriter is not being truthful, the whole sales pitch is blown apart.
One of the biggest assets a copywriter has is the confidence that the customers have in them. If customers are not confident in a copywriter, then they will not trust what they say and the chances are slim that they will buy the product.
The main goal in copywriting is to sell. Without the trust in the copywriter, the copy will not sell. It is very hard to rebuild a reputation once it has been tarnished.
If you stretch the truth or simply do not verify facts in your copy, someone will find out. You have to make sure that everything in your copy is accurate and true.
One area where copywriters are often tempted to tell lies is in testimonials. This is a huge mistake. While it may be difficult for a person to prove the testimonials are false, they will realize it eventually. Someone will see that the testimonials seem off or that what the ?customers? in the testimonials are saying is not true. They will then blow the copy sky high by exposing the lies.
Another thing that many copywriters tend to lie about is benefits. Making up benefits or elaborating on benefits to make them seem even better than ever is not an okay thing to do.
Customers will discover these lies and they will not be happy. Every product has its own uniqueness about it. There is never any reason to lie when writing sales copy.
As mentioned, if you are a good copywriter, then you can turn even the simplest benefits into something amazing with the power of your words. Elaborating benefits is never going to come out good in the end for anyone involved.
Truth is the next most powerful tool next to words that a copywriter has. When a copywriter sticks to the truth and nothing but the truth, people are going to start believing in them and trusting them. It is that trust that will get sales.
People want to buy from someone who is honest and who is not going to feed them a line of made up information.
People want to know what it is that they are really buying. They do not want to be disappointed when they get the product and it is nothing like they were promised.
When a copywriter lies in their copy, they are hurting themselves and the customer. They are not really doing their job because they are not really selling the product.
Anyone can tell some great lies about a product. It takes real talent to be able to write up a copy that can sell even the worst product by just using powerful words and the truth.
It is never okay to lie about anything in a copy. It is the copywriters job to make the product seem like the best thing ever, but no matter the product that is possible to do every time without telling a lie.
A good copywriter can write about any product and make it seem like the best thing ever invented. If your skills are not good enough and you feel like adding lies to your copy, then perhaps you need to brush up on your copywriting skills instead.
If you are ever tempted to stretch the truth when writing copy, you should stop and try to figure out why.
Maybe you need more information about the product or maybe you need to go find more descriptive words. There is obviously something more that you need if you feel that making up information is necessary.
Instead of creating bad copy that is filled with half truths and lies, try taking a break or doing more research. You should be able to come up with some great things to say about any product.
That is after all, your main task. A copywriter is supposed to be able to make anything look great and make people want to buy it. You have to always stay true to yourself and your reputation by always printing the truth.
Chapter 15: Split Test for Better Performance
How Split Testing can help you to write Killer Copy
There is an effective process that is available to copywriters that can really help them produce the best copy possible. Many copywriters, though, do not use this process. The process is called a split test.
A split test is where you test out your copy that you have written in a variety of styles. You can write a couple different copies or you can change certain aspects like just the headline or include testimonials in one and not the other. Split testing allows you to see what copy is the most effective.
No matter how great your copy is, split testing can help. The thing about split testing is that it does take time a little extra effort. That is why so many copywriters seem to avoid doing it.
The advantages of split testing, though, make it well worth while. It really is something you should consider if you want to really write powerful copy that makes sales.
When developing your pieces for split testing, you first need to define what is it that you are looking to discover. You need to decide if you want to try out two completely different copies or if you are just trying to test formatting or if you are seeking which headline works the best.
After deciding what you want you need to write the different copies. You can do two or more if you feel like it or need to. After writing them, you will assign each a code. This code will become part of the order form as well so you can easily track which copy is doing the best job.
In order to make your split testing most effective, it helps to use identical copy except for the one thing you are testing. You should also market them the exact same way and keep every detail identical. This will produce the most effective results for the split test.
There is no doubt that split testing is a lot of work. You cannot just write the copy and sit back to wait for sales. It involves tracking results and making changes as needed to get the best copy possible.
The benefits of split testing, though, make the effort well worth while. You are going to be able to write the most effective copy and you are going to see that reflected in your profits.
By using split testing, you are able to really get to the heart of what makes your customers buy. You will learn their triggers and you will learn how to write your copy in the future so you can make the big sales.
It may only take one split testing session to get to the heart of what you need. It may also be an ongoing process that you will need to do with every copy you write. That really depends upon your market.
If you are always writing for the same market than a single time, split test may work. If you are writing for multiple markets, though, you will likely need to do a split test for each market at least once.
You want to get to know your prospective customers the best you can so you can write copy that really speaks to them. There is no better way to do that than to test out what catches their attention.
Split testing is something that you have available to you. It is not going to be something that you will find easy to do in the beginning but in time, it will become second nature. It is one of the best tools you have to help you learn how to write killer copy.
If you are not sure about split testing, then do a simple online search and you will soon discover that it is a great tool. You will read about how studies have proven that split testing can double or even triple the sales form a copy.
With proof like that it is hard to deny that split testing is something that is worthy of your time and effort. It is something that will take effort, but then it takes a lot of effort to make money and write good copy.
You should think of it like this ? if you want to write the best copy possible, then the only way to truly do that is find out from your readers what type of copy motivates them the best to buy.
The way to do this is to do a split test because you will get the answer straight from your customers and it will be an honest opinion because they won?t even be aware you are running a test.
This is just a small part of volume 3 ?Of Killer Web Copy Writing. For the complete three volumes?please contact me here
Source: http://internetbusiness-howto.com/killer-web-copy-writing
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