Effective copywriting is not really difficult but people perceive it this way because of the importance it holds. A business is pretty dependent on the copy one writes. That is why it is important to write in a manner that is enlightening and persuasive at the same time.
You are not alone who is scared of copywriting. But believe me, it’s just a matter of a few copies and time, and you will find copywriting easier than any other writing form.
To begin with, here are 5 effective copywriting rules which, if followed, can make your copy effective. Stick to these if you are a beginner and you will be writing effective copies in no time.
Give More Importance to Editing
Writing a copy should not take most of the time. Divide your time in such a way that you have ample time to research and come up with the heading and then sufficient time to edit the copy.
For a writer, it’s not writing a copy that’s difficult.
We know you think it is. But, in reality, what you find difficult is writing a copy that is attractive, short, and pleasing to the eye. And for that, you don’t need to spend your time trying to come up with an attractive sentence.
What you need to do is write whatever comes to your mind. And then edit what you have written to eliminate fluff, repeated information, and unnecessary words and adjectives.
Make Your Copy Informative Yet Crisp
What makes copywriting different from content writing is that a copy is a lot shorter than the content. You don’t have to write a 1000-word article, you can complete a copy in as few words as possible.
The idea is to deliver the message and attract the customer’s attention to the product or service you are offering. It should be informative, yes, but it need not contain every little detail.
Come Back to It Later
One of the greatest rules in effective copywriting is to not edit or send it as soon as you are done. This may not be a technical rule of effective copywriting but literally, every copywriter out there swears by this.
Instead of editing the copy as soon as you have written it, consider taking a break and coming back to it later.
This is something you can follow even if you are working in an office. Simply leave your desk, go to the washroom, wash your hands and face, and stretch a little. If you can, go out in the fresh air, come back to your seat after good 10 minutes and then have a look at the copy you have written.
If you have more work, consider starting that and spending some time on the new subject before coming back to the copy you have written. This way you will get ample time to get your mind away from all the thoughts you have had while writing the copy. When you will start with a fresh mind, editing will seem much easier.
Your Writing Should Be Personal
In copywriting, your writing style should be more personal and less formal. When you make a write-up personal, people find it relatable. Formal writing seems a little sales-y and, well, formal.
Use pronouns, such as “you” more often. And mention relatable pain points.
When you make your copy more personal, you sound like a human being and not a salesperson who, no offence, is more focused on sales than building a relationship with the target audience or customer.
PROTIP: Focus on connecting at a personal level and see your sales increase automatically.
Mention Benefits and Not Features
A lot of writers make this mistake. Yes, your product has some amazing features that no other brand is offering. But your customers aren’t interested in it unless they know how they can benefit from it.
It’s not like you wouldn’t be mentioning your features at all. Take it this way, instead of blatantly mentioning the features, you write how the customer can benefit from the product you are offering and it ultimately points out the features of your product.
Make your writing customer-centric and you will see a better engagement and lead conversion rate.
Parting Words
When applied together, these rules can make a normally written copy a star. Copywriting is one of the highest-paying writing forms and because it is perceived as one of the most difficult writing forms, the competition in copywriting is relatively less than in other forms of writing.
If you are a freelance writer or a complete newbie who wishes to start effective copywriting, taking a course and equipping yourself with the right skill set is highly recommended. You can take the “how to become a highly paid content writer” course offered by Hustlepost Academy. The course covers everything from the basics of content writing and copywriting to how to become a highly paid copywriting professional, especially as a freelance writer.
