Copywriting is an essential part of marketing. Whether it’s short content for social media posts or more detailed long-form articles or blogs, we share some easy tips that you can use to ensure that your copywriting is done right!
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
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Writing copy has gone through many changes over the years, with much of the focus being on what Google recommends. It used to be that everyone thought that the greater the word count, the better chance of gaining the coveted Google ranking.
We can now see that this was just one component that Google looks at when determining rank. In fact, there are so many other factors that influence authority.
One of which is how long a user interacts with your piece. If you are presenting a 10,000 keyword-stuffed article that is difficult to consume, your bounce rate is going to be through the roof. We need to remember, first and foremost, we are writing for people.
Again, this is just one factor that can affect ranking. But if your focus is on quality information and readable content, along with the right SEO practices (we will dive into that in a future article), your ranking will fall into place.
Good copy is more than just picking a topic and going to town. We need to follow a clear and discernible structure. It goes back to basics:
If your writing is disjointed and doesn’t follow a basic outline, your readers will be left struggling to understand your call to action or takeaway.
Another common copywriting mistake is not understanding human behavior and how content is consumed. Get to know your audience. Do your research. Build your copy around your findings. Watch your read scores and adjust accordingly.
Tip: Be sure to check nngroup.com for even more copywriting stats and information.
A heading is just that. It’s meant to whet your reader’s appetite, not tell the whole story. Keep them short, perhaps with a question if appropriate to encourage interest.
Studies show that people retain small, quickly understood bites of content. Best practice would dictate that each paragraph focuses on one idea at a time, with two to three sentences being optimal with a max of five.
Read your copy out loud. Yes, the people you work with may think you are crazy, but this is a necessary step. By reading your work aloud, you not only catch grammatical errors but also check for conversational quality. Be sure your writing reflects what you want it to.
It is always a good practice to have a second pair of eyes look over your piece as well. I don’t know what we would do without Renée on our team! These are just some basic practices, but they lay the foundation for a well-prepared piece.
As stated at the beginning of this article, copywriting is an essential part of every company’s marketing strategy. By following a few best practices, knowing your audience, and taking a personal approach, you can create something you are proud to sign your name to.
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