Copywriting is more relevant than ever. The landing page is one of the spaces that takes the most ruthless editing in the online space. People have limited time and millions of pages to browse. You’ve got to make things worth their while.
When you start your copywriting project, consider these things:
● Do you know your audience? Do some market research if you don’t.
● Do you have a clear objective for your landing page? Don’t try too much at once.
● Do you understand how your keywords fit into a campaign? What kind of tone are you working toward?
Here are eight important tips for your next copywriting project.
Always Observe Rule Number One
Rule Number One is to provide ROTI, or Return on Time Invested. Your audience is being generous with their time. Make sure you reward them. Inform them up front what you are selling. Some people are tempted to reserve this important information for later. Don’t do it.
Be short, brave, and to-the-point. Your reader’s time is valuable.
Make the Page Awesome
Not good. Not kinda cool. Not mostly good with a few confusing parts. The whole page needs to be cohesive. The prose should be incredible and the headlines even better. People generally use too many words when they try to sell something on a landing page. They should edit carefully, like Hemingway. Use simple words in the same style as your headlines.
Avoid Bloated Phrasing
Get rid of every inch of fluff. If you want a great landing page, it’s got to be extremely easy to read. Don’t use two words where one will do. This is because it will mostly confuse your reader. They tend to get lost if it takes too long to say something. You want them to stay a while. So keep it short. Things should flow effortlessly.
Give Proof
Definitely don’t make unsubstantiated claims. But make sure that you provide social proof as well. If you’ve got numbers to brag about when it comes to subscribers or followers, by all means share.
Numbers can jump quite a bit when you use this kind of proof. Like with anything, you should make sure that your buttons are arranged and designed well. They should attract some attention without overwhelming the rest of the page.
Use a Blank Sheet of Paper
The Blank Sheet of Paper Test is a quick test. You imagine that if you put your headline on a blank sheet of paper and gave it to a stranger. Would they know what your piece was about?
If not, your headline needs clarification.
Things can get dicey quickly if your headlines are confusing. You definitely need to spend the extra time on your headlines if they don’t pass the Blank Sheet of Paper Test.
Go for the Gut
In copywriting, you must be able to grab attention and keep it. Write great headlines. But keep your prose just as strong. David Ogilvy says “When it comes to copywriting, go big or go home.”
Remember that your audience’s time is precious. Remember that they are also likely reading this on a mobile phone and that they are distracted.
Break it Up
Use an almost excessive amount of headers, bullet points, and lists when you can. People skim tons and tons of copy on the internet. If you provide them a good reason to give your landing page a second look, they might get through the whole thing.
Throw the Rulebook Out
When you use a checklist for copywriting, it will show. Your job is to be original and compelling. So show them what you’ve got creative-wise! Make sure to keep testing so that you can find out what works. There is no substitute for A/B tests.