Headlines are tricky: You need to write them so that they grab people's attentions and entice them to read the rest of the page. But just how do you do that? And what headlines are appropriate when? It's pretty common that there's a lot of confusion around headlines—and most of that has to do with the fact that there's a lot of confused information out there. Some websites … [Read more...]
The Right Way to Fit “Ad” Into “Advertorials”
In the world of copywriting, the advertorial is a mutt. Part ad, part editorial, it hits the magazine or trade publication reader when they are already primed to read. When the advertorial is not that engaging it can come across as deceptive. There you are, cozied up with your favorite glossy, only to look up at the page to see "special advertising section." Drats! Foiled … [Read more...]
Why Online Sales Letters are Dead—and What to Write for Clients Instead
There are all kinds of marketing tactics that you should learn to make the most out of your copywriting career. For instance, you need to know about mediums like email campaigns, paid ads (like you see on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and as website banners), opt-in landing pages, and sales pages. If I had a nickel for every "copywriting" site that says, "I make seven … [Read more...]
How To Come Up With Wildly Effective Copywriting Concepts
One of the most daunting parts of a project can be the brainstorming, or copywriting concepting, process. Concepting can feel like a mystical process, conjuring brilliance out of nothing or mixing a magical potion. (I suppose in some ways it is kind of magical since you'll use just three ingredients—you, your design partner, and the brief—to produce your ideas. Sometimes it may … [Read more...]
Slash and Burn: How To Write Less More Often
Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, logician, physicist, and theologian of the 17th century, wrote in a letter, “Je n'ai fait celle-ci plus longue que parceque je n'ai pas eu le loisir de la faire plus courte.” (“I have only made this letter rather long because I have not had time to make it shorter.”) As copywriters, we don’t have the option Monsieur Pascal had. We … [Read more...]
How To Learn From the Copywriting Greats
One of the surest ways to improve any skill set is to identify the people who are the best at doing what you want to do. If you're an actress, watch other great actors and actresses perform. If you're an artist, study the works of other great artists. But where do you go if you're a copywriter? One of the interesting things about copywriting is that it's kind of a … [Read more...]
The Anatomy of a Good Ad: 6 Elements to Include
In the course of a day, you'll come across about a bazillion ads (I'll have to cite that study later...). Some are good, but many are not so good. As a copywriter, it's crucial that you learn to tell the difference. Being able to tell if an ad is any good is crucial since you'll need to be able to apply that same discernment to your own work. After all, if you can't tell … [Read more...]
The Attention Dilemma
When you have a problem to solve or a creative project to write for, it can seem like the best thing to do is just sit down and motor on through until you come up with the perfect solution. In truth, that can be one of the worst ways to get to the answer. When you're trying to access your creative mind, sometimes the best course of action is to step away from the problem … [Read more...]
What Is Direct Response Copywriting?
Copywriting work often has different focuses. Some is designed to sell people on a company—that is, to get people to be aware of, trust, and like the brand. Other copywriting work is designed to get an immediate response. Here we look at what the term "direct response copywriting" means and what makes it different from other writing. There's a fairly decent chance that … [Read more...]
How To Pinpoint the Deep Benefit in Successful Copywriting
As a copywriter, to create truly effective copy, you know you have to lead with the benefit to consumer (what's in it for them), but what else can you do to make your audience take action? You already know to lead with the benefit, give a strong call to action, and keep your copy within your brand/company's tone. However, there is something else you could be utilizing—a … [Read more...]