5 Things Invaluable Copywriters Do
Photo by Karolina Grabowska
A good copywriter can increase your sales by 240%, as reported by Lately AI. We’re not wizards, but we are undervalued in the current economic conditions, particularly with the dawn of AI itself. As many people in my circle wrestle with clients jumping ship for ChatGPT-generated articles, I wanted to outline 5 things talented copywriters do that set their work apart from OpenAI-generated blog posts.
Solve a problem
Whenever I sit down to write, what is my audience coming to this page looking for? What service are they looking for that brought them here - and what information can I give them that will solve their existing problem?
Businesses are supposed to solve problems for people, and writers and our social media marketing counterparts often find that when we don’t know what problem we’re solving, we lack a sense of direction or cohesion in our writing.
A great example of this is a current client I have. I’m getting to know their audience better, and I’ve learned they really cater to a certain type of professional.
Let’s say plumbers, for fun. I wasn’t aware of this before, so now I can better tailor my writing to speak to the concerns of plumbers in the audience. How does this product ensure a lack of plumbing issues? How does the product help plumbers do their job better?
Keep the audience engaged
It’’s true - 80% of people don’t read past the headline. If they do, you may not get much more out of them than the first few lines of content. The headline has to be eye-catching. Don’t make a promise in the headline that you can’t fill in your writing - that’s just clickbait. However, the headline and the first line should interest your reader. This takes practice. Case in point, yours truly.
I like to do this by using a statistic or making a statement directly addressing the reader’s problem.
“Did you know [insert statistic]?”
“Converting page visitors into regular buyers can feel impossible. X company…”
I don’t typically like making a controversial claim. It feels awkward. I wouldn’t start this article out by saying, “AI is a much more efficient and cost-effective way to attract potential buyers” unless I really believed I could persuade you that not using AI was the better answer.
A good pointer to remember when you’re writing a headline is that it should be as user-friendly as it is SEO-friendly. If your keyword research shows that Google will love this headline, do market research. Is your audience asking for this information, too?
Start with the point
Engage them in the first line and get to the point quickly in the introduction. If the first line is a good lead, then the second line says that you can solve their problem and, ideally, how.
“X company can convert 30% more of your website visitors into returning buyers within 6 months.”
People like to know the how, how much, how soon details. You can also include proof.
“With a success rate of [ ] over x years, our company promises 50% more leads within a month of working with you.”
This can be tough when you’re a younger business or haven’t tracked metrics over the years. That’s okay - it’s never too late to start, and people have been sold on services without hard numbers.
Do your best. Start with the end in mind.
Be concise
I struggle with this in my writing, but I am merciless when editing my clients’ writing. No one wants extra words, phrasing, or complex ideas to read through. Talk to your audience like you’re talking to a friend who knows nothing about your very specific industry.
Bring them into your vision
You’re wrapping up your perfect article. Time to sell the person on the other side of the screen. Don’t use some generic “contact us for more information”, if you can help it - say something more specific.
“Sell more ballpoint pens with XYZ copy in your corner. Schedule a chat with us today. “
“Remember every moment with The Ballpoint Pen Company”.
Try to make the customer envision what their life will be like with your product. This is easier with images than words; again, it takes practice. CTAs are different for every client and between B2B and B2C clients.
However, I like to take a more casual approach - schedule a chat- instead of schedule an appointment or reach out to us, more formal approaches, to maintain that tone of friendliness as long as it’s in line with the brand guidelines.
Make Your Voice Heard with a Skilled Copywriter
Generative AI holds so much promise for the future, but it isn’t a substitute for establishing a person-to-person connection the way a skilled writer can do with your audience. Make your voice heard in the comments - and if you need a copywriter or content writer, come find me.
