Write how you talk.
How do I write how I talk? I hear you wail. Here are three tips:
Sound out conversations in your head like the bloke from Scrubs. Pretend your best mate has just asked you about your business. How would you explain it to them? Write down those words as they come. If it sounds like the mutterings of a lunatic than so be it.
Don't be scared of slang. Unless you're really posh, you probably use slang all the time in your spoken language. Even if you don't think you do, you probably still do. Embrace it. Give it a big ole' cuddle. Slang is a fantastic way to build a more casual, trusting tone with your audience.
Chill out. Nobody else can read this stuff yet. It's just you and the pen/keyboard/blood-soaked rag. Have some fun.
Always lead with your audience’s problem (We call this problem-focused copy).
I often see advertisers lead with copy describing why the audience should buy the product, this should never come first. You must first convince the audience that they have a problem, or at least, remind them of it. Don’t start with “Our cream rids acne within days”, but rather, “It's hard to be confident when struggling with acne, we get it”. This is a lackluster example but you get the point!
2. Position your product/service as the solution.
Following on from the previous point, once you have identified your audience’s problem and evoked an emotional state, position your product/service as a solution. Now you can talk about why your product is the greatest and why your audience should buy it. However, don’t bore your audience with specifications. Who cares what ingredients are in your muscle growth supplements, the audience wants to know what your product can do for them and how well. If you have written your copy well enough, your audience will be in an emotional state. Keep them there.
3. Delve below the surface and talk to your audience’s core problems/desires.
Back to my example in point 1, we have established that your audience has acne. Ok, why is this a problem? Because it makes them less attractive? Ok, why do they want to look attractive? So they can feel more confident? Maybe. Maybe they want more attention from the opposite sex. Why do they want more attention from the opposite sex? You get the point. Keep digging and get the core of your audience’s problem. By doing this, you can position your product better. Claiming that your product removes acne isn’t enough, because this isn’t talking to the core issue. Instead, focus on the benefits of not having acne. E.g, more female/male attention, greater confidence, overall improvement in wellbeing.
4. Be concise and economical with your wording.
I know this sounds obvious and something that everyone talks about. Read your copy and ask yourself what words can be removed, then read it again and ask the same question. Attention spans are deteriorating and a single word can lose your audience’s attention, especially on social media. This is something I still struggle with. I love writing and can often get carried away. Although big words and lovely expression sounds great, it’s not going to impress your audience and they probably won’t read it. This doesn’t mean write copy that’s one or two sentences, super short copy doesn’t tend to work besides for a couple of industries. It means make sure all your sentences are as short as they can possibly be without losing impact.
5. Adapt your copy for each stage of the funnel.
Facebook allows for retargeting and we structure most of our campaigns like this:
Top of Funnel (TOF): Prospecting and scaling cold audiences
Middle of Funnel (MOF): Reengaging users that have interacted with our brand.
Bottom of funnel (BOF): Retargeting users that have shown heavy interest/purchase intent.
Copy for each of the stage of the funnel looks a little different. TOF copy is all about problem/solution, sell your product to your audience and convince them of its value. MOF is all about building trust. Remember, these users have already engaged with your brand and understand your product but for whatever reason, haven’t bought. We like to use reviews in our MOF copy to build trust with our audience. BOF copy is very direct and we usually include a strong CTA. They know your product, they likely trust the brand, now throw them an incentive to get them across the line.
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1) Write with your eraser
You get 100 bucks for every word you rub out from your title:
Trello lets you work more collaboratively and get more done => Work collaboratively. Get more done
2) No one cares what you can do
Everyone cares what you can do for them
The worlds first portable digital media player => 1,000 songs in your pocket
3) Avoid the passive voice
It's indirect and awkward:
Bigger fish will be fried by me => I've got bigger fish to fry
4) Speak with conviction
Don't say “We help” say “It's how”
Don't say “alternative” say “replaces”
We help you make a podcast => It's how you make a podcastAn email alternative inside your company => Slack replaces email inside your company
5) Avoid “landing page words”
Unlock, unleash, enhance, exceed, empower, supercharge, etc.
Real people don't use them.
6) Find the tension
“Pleasant” gets forgotten. Conflict creates interest:
Insurance for the digital revolution => Forget everything you know about insurance
7) Write how you talk
Casual. Colloquial. Full of pronouns:
Before Basecamp: You’re wondering how you’ll quickly transition your team to remote work. People are stressed, work feels scattered, projects are slipping, and it’s tough to see + manage everything.
8) Don't exaggerate
An honest line always feels warmer:
The new Volkswagen. More space. More comfort. => If you run out of gas, it's easy to push.
9) Avoid “contained” titles
Write something that pulls your reader down your page:
Social media intelligence for your startup => Do you know the value of your Facebook content?
10) Think “Call-to-value” not “Call-to-action”
Buttons which amplify “value” over “action” usually perform better.
Sign up now => Create your website
Get started => Hire top designers
11) Don't kill your personality
The best brands feel “real”:
As efforts to contain COVID-19 continue, we hope you’re supported in taking every measure to protect your health. => Melanie here, CEO of Andie. I'm writing to you from my living room as my dog Sara proofreads — we're both working from home today.
12) More periods, fewer commas.
Periods mean short sentences. We like short sentences.
Commas mean long, painful sentences, like this one, which New Yorker writers think are clever, but real people find torturous, because they wind on and on without actually saying anything.
13) Use value based messaging
People don’t want a better toothbrush. They want a brighter smile:
Introducing the new and improved Colgate => Smile like you've never smiled before
14) Kill adverbs.
They're flowery. They're vague. They try too hard:
Effortlessly create email lists from LinkedIn => Create email lists from LinkedIn
15) Think slippery slide
Every line of copy should lead to the next. All the way down to your CTA. Watch this ad. You won't be able to stop.
16) Get specific
You can’t bullshit specifics:
Save more on your AWS bill => Save an average of 33.7% on your AWS bill
17) Fence sitters don't buy
Go to the edge:
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. In event of success honour and recognition — Ernest Shackleton
18) Your first line is crucial
The first line of your copy is crucial. If people don’t read it, they’re not going to read your second line either. Make it short.
We focus on nearly every muscle in our body, yet neglect the one area we value most, our face. => Your face has 43 muscles.
19) Call out the customer you serve
People pay attention when they know something is specifically for them.
A creative hub for anyone and everyone => A creative hub for 150,000 authors
20) You're on a speed date
The majority of people look at your site for 30 seconds and never return. If you can't make your product interesting in six words sell the benefits instead:
All-in-one social automation => Turn followers into customers
21) Copywriting is selling
Don’t romanticize it. The goal isn't to be clever or cute. The goal is to inspire action:
Request a demo => See Drift on your site
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Before anyone jumps in these are heuristics, not universals. Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.
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I think emojis work fine on social media captions. For example I often use something like:
👉🏻 Tap link in our bio
Or
Big updates 💥
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Tuyệt chiêu mô tả sản phẩm Shopee chuẩn thu hút khách hàng (shopeeplus.com)
Nghệ thuật ‘quyến rũ” khách hàng bằng mô tả sản phẩm trên Shopee (abit.vn)
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