It is not as easy to create text that sells, that builds and promotes your brand, and that entices readers to take the desired action. But if you write professionally and have the time to devote to building your content, then yes, DIY-ing it may be a good idea. Copywriting is one critical aspect of creating and maintaining a professional image for yourself and your business. Whether you’re familiar to the concept of copywriting or new to it, if you’re in business, you need to know about good copywriting and you need to put it into practice. Good copy conveys usefulness, gives off a sense of urgency, communicates uniqueness, and provides the necessary details to back it all up. It effectively convinces people that they want and need what you are offering them now.All businesses cannot afford an in-house copywriter. If that’s the case, it’s important to pick up tips whenever you can, and if you have time, read a few copywriting books to help hone your skills. Here are six things you can do to get you on your way to writing great content:
- Headline: A headline shouldn’t be any lengthier than its primary function actually requires. What is important is making it so reader-focused that they will immediately understand what they personally have to gain from reading the copy under the headline.
- Be consistent. From capitalization and punctuation to titles and abbreviations, being consistent is a crucial step to successful copywriting. It avoids confusion, maintains
the flow and prevents the reader from being distracted. Decide how you will handle certain common grammatical problems from the beginning. - Be creative. Avoid redundancy in your copy by using synonyms and transitions where possible. No one wants to read boring, repetitive copy.
- Make Your Content Skimmable: Keep your paragraphs short and to-the-point as much as possible. Too much information can overwhelm a reader to the point that he or she may lose interest and stop reading altogether. Use sub-headers to organize your content into logical sections.
- Convey the Benefits Clearly: You need to write in such a way that your reader understands what he or she will get out of what you’re offering. Tell them how they will benefit if they take advantage of your product or service.
- Call-to-action buttons – Microcopy: A quick definition of microcopy for noncopywriters: the part of web copy that helps let you know what to do next.
- Hire a copywriter if the stakes are too high: If you’re caught in a moment where you’re tripping over your web words and need a rush of clarity or spark for your business and can’t risk dismal sale, hire a copywriter.
But never forget that ultimately the message has to come from you!