There are sites and sources that promise "the perfect copywriting template for effective emails!" or "the formula for copy that converts!" And that sounds great, right? But not only are "formulas" not great, they're both full of crap and bad for copywriting professionals. You'll often see sites and opt-ins that try to sell you on formulas or templates for killer ads and … [Read more...]
Why You Should Make Your Audience Anxious
Writing to your target audience is crucial for writing effective copy. You love your target audience! But sometimes it's also wildly effective to make 'em squirm a little. You understand that you have to convey the benefits of a product when you write about it, but is there anything else you can do to make that benefit more powerful? (Don't you don't know the difference … [Read more...]
The Key to Writing Irresistible Product Descriptions
Product descriptions can be a great opportunity for copywriters. They offer a lot of work that can be fairly steady and may also be done remotely. But if you want to wow potential employers and land the job, there's one key you've got to know. Despite the fact that some companies put in the bare minimum of effort on product descriptions, they're actually some of the most … [Read more...]
Is Your Press Release Missing This One Key Element?
Press releases can be a terrific addition to your copywriting tool kit and can be yet another way to win your client's devotion. However, there's one big mistake that many press release writers make that leaves their clients feeling like they wasted their money. Full disclosure: I went to school for public relations (majored in it, actually). I quickly discovered that I … [Read more...]
4 Steps to Write a Wildly Effective About Us Page
The "About Us" page is one of the most wildly visited pages on most websites (often second to the homepage). It's especially frequented by people who haven't interacted much with that company before. (Read: people who haven't purchased yet.) That means the copywriting on the About page can mean the difference between customers trusting the company and making purchases versus, … [Read more...]
When to Use Curiosity Headlines in Copywriting
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...]