How can you avoid common copywriting mistakes in education?

I think be really clear what you want them to do as a result of reading the copy, all content should have a purpose - will really help you hone your writing.

It might be helpful to create 'Audience Personas' which are fictional profiles that represent each group of your target audience. This helps with figuring out how to reach a group of your audience on a more personal level, and tailor your messaging towards their needs and pain points.

Understanding the demographics, needs, and preferences of your target audience is essential. Tailor your copy to resonate with them by using language, tone, and style that appeal to their interests and level of comprehension.

Part of understanding your audience starts with getting clear on what their pain points really are. Within education, the overall goal is getting more sign ups but take a step back and examine what stands in the way of your final user signing up, then address that.

For organisations like schools, it can be easy to slip into different perspectives when writing. It's important to include only what's relevant to the intended audience as you may risk alienating them. A brochure about the courses and extracurricular activities a school provides will be of most interest to students and their parents so it's important to write in a way both those customer profiles can understand. A course brochure is not the place to share news about school governance and legislation, for example. Whereas, a newsletter sent to local businesses in a bid to gain sponsorship or support may well benefit from that kind of information. You may then wish to repurpose that content to write directly to parents about these facts.

One thing I've found helpful is to assume people don't understand a word and always try to define the jargon if it is absolutely needed for student understanding. Alot of academics try to insert longer/more complicated words and sentences which aren't actually helpful for student understanding. I think educational copy, in Higher Education particularly, needs to normalise simpler sentence structures, less word count per sentence and easier language.

Statistics, infographics and word clouds go a long way. If you realise you don't have any of these things currently, or if they're no longer up to date, start gathering your stats now, ready for the next time they'll come in handy. This could be as simple as sending an email to request a publicly published testimonial or review. You can also send internal or external surveys to gain honest feedback and factual information. From this research, you'll be able to make credible statements like "1 in 4 pupils...", "80% of our staff..." or "All our suppliers rate XYZ as their top priority in 2024."

The generation currently entering higher education has a high BS-meter and may already be skeptical of higher ed as a whole. Creating copy that resonates with them means demonstrating the value of your program in a meaningful way. Student testimonials, employment statistics after graduation, and graduate school acceptance rates will reassure your audience that the program is worth the investment.

Back up your claims with evidence, statistics, or research to establish credibility. Including testimonials or success stories from satisfied students, parents, or teachers can also strengthen your message and build trust with your audience

Clearly define the desired action you want your audience to take, whether it's signing up for a course, downloading a resource, or contacting your institution. Use persuasive language and make it easy for readers to follow through on your call to action.

Oftentimes, when you're very close to a piece of content, it's easy to overlook errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. One way to avoid oversight is to read the copy out loud. When you actually take the time to verbalize your copy, you hear things that you wouldn't ordinarily hear when you read to yourself. This applies to things like cadence and flow as well as spelling and grammar.

Take the time to review your copy for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and awkward phrasing. A well-edited piece demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail, instilling confidence in your audience.

It is always helpful to work through a proofreading checklist when finalising an article. This should include correct spelling for names, titles, quotes, dates, headlines etc. If an image is to be included ensure that correct names are supplied. Poor spelling, grammar and incorrect details all negate the hard work that goes into writing an article.

Maintaining consistency begins with a well-defined style guide. It covers everything from fonts and colors to imagery and layout. This guide ensures the content's visual elements align across platforms. Understanding each platform's unique attributes helps in delivering a consistent UX. Despite the differences, the fundamental design principles remain the same. Regular team communication is key. We work closely to align our goals and maintain consistency in our content design and UX. Finally, we collect and analyze user feedback to continuously refine our approach, ensuring a cohesive and user-friendly experience across all platforms.

I think it's very important to use a language easy to understand with short sentences. It is important to involve the audience by showing examples or evidence of how a theme is developed or a teaching method is used. These are the key points to generate empathy in your texts and develop trust in your audience