Copywriting Basics
_{Tips for better writing}

Copywriting simply means any script that is persuasively leading the user to take a specific action.

To catch anyone’s attention, good copywriting knows what the viewer or reader is thinking, and offers new information how to solve a problem in their life.

Great copywriting wraps the solution around a story that resonates with the viewer:

“Opening a bank account in Spain seemed challenging and time-consuming with traditional banks. With N26 neobank I could open the account just by using my phone.”

This will be very interesting to anyone that wants to open a bank account in Spain, and completely irrelevant for everyone else.

Do it better than ChatGPT

Smart copywriter understands exactly who the target audience is, and pinpoints the script to them. Trying to get everyone’s attention would be pointless and counter-productive.

Talking about yourself or your product is also secondary. Instead, use a bait as a headline that calls the attention. Let me think of some examples:

• After learning this, all my photos are SO much better.
• My growth stalled on Instagram for years until I started doing THIS
• It was an overnight transformation for my hair

‘This’ and ‘it’ seems interesting, right? If we break these simple headlines for social media marketing apart, each of them describes an underlying problem:

Problem with taking photos, problem growing a following on Instagram, problem with hair. And – the promise of a solution in the same short sentence.

Ever-increasing conversion rates

Getting people to stop and watch is the first and most important step. Then, the following lead has to resonate with them some more by giving a big promise or intrigue. Real-world numbers based on authority reports or studies work great.

“New report shows that 73% of Gen Z online buyers choose a personal brand over a generic product.”

“Chinese study from 2022 proves that eggplant extract improves night vision by 300%.”

And so on. Or launch directly into a testimonial:

“My back pain disappeared in few weeks after I started following the Knuckle® method. This happened…”

Measuring success

After a convincing body of text, where the viewer hears even the most obvious benefits of the solution, comes the CTA.

Call to action prompts the viewer to click, read more, type in their email or buy directly. That’s copywriting in a nutshell.

The principles are simple and timeless, the tactics change over time, and the nuances are infinite. Best way to learn to write well is testing by running ads and uploading content.

The purpose of copywriting is to sell.

Not to collect likes, win advertising awards or make someone smile. While they are great goals, the focus must be selling.

If the piece did well, it was a good copy. If it didn’t sell, it was a bad copy. Try again.

Sidenote: In content marketing, it’s a good idea to play the long game. That means each of your content pieces do not need to sell, pitch or push. But they do “sell” your authority, trustworthiness, and recognition over time.

Close the deal

Don’t dupe, mislead, or give false promises. Personal brand is your online reputation, and you only need to lose it once.

Instead, share your knowledge and valuable information for the benefit of your readers or viewers.

Value is simply utility; Something they can use now to make their lives better. Everybody wins.

Position yourself as the guide.

And to reassure people on your landing pages, offer guarantees and show testimonials. Deliver and keep your word.

That’s all.

If at any point you’d like someone who has been writing for living for almost a decade to help you out with your copy, write me an email to mark@scriiv.com.