How do you write web copy that sells without sounding salesy? It's a common challenge for digital strategists who want to persuade their audience to take action, but also avoid being pushy or manipulative. In this article, you'll learn six tips to craft web copy that is engaging, credible, and effective.
The first step to writing web copy that sells is to understand who you're writing for. What are their needs, goals, challenges, and preferences? How do they talk, think, and feel? What motivates them to buy your product or service? You can use tools like surveys, interviews, analytics, and personas to gather insights about your audience and tailor your copy to their interests and pain points.
One thing I've found truly helpful is dive really deep into the study of Consumer Behavior. Why? The whole point is you want to know what makes people tick before sitting down to write copy that moves them. Strongly Recommended Reading: ?????????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???? ???????????????????? ? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????: ?????? ???? ?????????? ??????????-?????????????? ???????????????? ? ?????? ???????? ?????????????????????? ????????????????????: ?????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ? ?????? ???????????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??????????: ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ???????? ?????? ???????????????? ? ????????????? ???????????
Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can focus on writing copy that speaks directly to them. Use language and phrasing that they can relate to, and highlight the benefits of your product or service in a way that aligns with their needs and desires. Avoid using pushy or manipulative language and instead focus on being informative and helpful.
Your headline is the first impression you make on your web visitors. It should capture their attention, communicate your value proposition, and entice them to read more. To write clear and concise headlines, use simple and direct language, avoid jargon and hype, and include a benefit or a promise. You can also use formulas like "How to...", "The Ultimate Guide to...", or "X Ways to..." to structure your headlines and make them more specific and actionable.
Pulling people into the content is, no doubt, critical. The content can be worthy of the Pulitzer prize, but if people aren't tempted to click on it, it doesn't matter. The "X ways to" approach was something that magazines found incredibly useful to tempt readers to buy copies on the newsstand, and there's no doubt that it works in digital formats too. Ultimately, people are increasingly time-poor, so they have to believe that there is value for them (whether that's information or entertainment) for them when they click. And if the content ultimately doesn't deliver on the promise of the headline, you've probably lost them for good.
Examples clear and concise headlines for web copy: "Boost Your Productivity: 10 Tips for Staying Focused at Work" "The 30-Minute Workout That Burns Fat" "Simplify Your Life: How to Organize Your Home in One Weekend"
If you sell shoes, the content you create doesn’t always have to be about your newest shoe… instead, write about the lifestyle behind that shoe. For hiking boots, stories about great hiking spots, what to bring to prep for different terrain, along with other travel adventures and tips can appeal to your audience. Content that is helpful editorial, rather than sales-y advertorial delights customers. Delight them enough and when they need a new pair, you just might come to mind first. There’s always re-marketing and re-targeting ads if you want to push products on someone, but most brands find that pleasing customers (rather than pushing) leads to significantly larger customer lifetime value.
Storytelling and emotion are powerful tools to connect with your audience and persuade them to take action. Stories can illustrate how your product or service solves a problem, creates a transformation, or delivers a result. They can also evoke emotions like curiosity, excitement, fear, or empathy that influence decision-making. To use storytelling and emotion in your web copy, use anecdotes, case studies, testimonials, or scenarios that relate to your audience and show them the benefits of your offer.
Storytelling is important, no doubt. But recognize that vulnerability and authenticity are critical to that approach - otherwise it's just hard-sell wrapped up in a dubious anecdote.
Emotion is everything when delviering a good story. Use storytelling and emotion to create a connection with your audience and convey your message in a compelling way. Make sure to focus on the benefits and results that your product or service can provide, rather than just its features. Use social proof and testimonials to build trust and credibility. Finally, create a sense of urgency to encourage your audience to take action.
One of the most common mistakes in web copywriting is to focus on the features of your product or service, rather than the benefits. Features are what your product or service does, while benefits are what it does for your customer. Benefits answer the question "What's in it for me?" and show how your offer helps your customer achieve their goals, overcome their challenges, or satisfy their desires. To focus on benefits, not features, use phrases like "You'll...", "You can...", or "You'll love..." and highlight the outcomes and advantages of your offer.
Here's an example: Feature: Our new blender has a 1,200-watt motor. Benefit: Our new blender blends ingredients smoothly and quickly, saving you time and effort in the kitchen. By emphasizing the benefits of your product or service, you can create a stronger emotional connection with your audience and demonstrate the value of what you offer.
Social proof and credibility are essential to build trust and confidence in your web copy. Social proof is the evidence that other people have used and liked your product or service, such as reviews, ratings, testimonials, endorsements, or logos. Credibility is the evidence that you have the authority, expertise, or reputation to deliver on your promise, such as credentials, awards, certifications, or media mentions. To add social proof and credibility to your web copy, use numbers, quotes, images, or badges that showcase your achievements and customer satisfaction.
Social proof builds trust with potential customers and makes it more likely they will convert. Credibility establishs your business as a trusted and reliable option for potential customers.
The final tip to write web copy that sells is to include a clear and compelling call to action (CTA). A CTA is the instruction or invitation that tells your audience what to do next, such as buy, subscribe, download, or contact. To write a clear and compelling CTA, use verbs that convey urgency, value, or emotion, such as "Get", "Start", "Join", or "Discover". You can also add a benefit, a deadline, or a guarantee to make your CTA more appealing and persuasive.
Embracing your target audience's most pressing pain points is the most underrated trait of good copy. When an ad articulates my challenges, I am ready to listen more. Its not bad to sound salesy if the purchase solves a real problem.
For example, instead of "Learn more," use "Get started today" or "Claim your free trial now." Place your call to action prominently on the page, ideally near the top and bottom, and use contrasting colors or buttons to make it stand out.