How can you get your message across to your audience if they are bored after the first sentence?
Words are powerful. They can paint you a picture in your mind, control your pace with simple dots and dashes, and overall, engage with readers and send a message.
So, what does ‘good’ copy mean?
- Good copy is informative. Avoid tedious writing and try to make the information clear.
- It does not use overcomplicated words. You wouldn’t want your audience to feel like they have to sit with a dictionary when reading your copy.
- The length of sentences should flow well. When writing, consider how the words sound when reading it out loud. You should have a combination of lengthy sentences as well as some that are short and sweet.
- The word choice should be in line with the brand image. Enthusiastic writing for bold brands and calming writing for relaxed brands.
- Grammar and punctuation are important. There is nothing worse than an embarrassing typo on your website.
- Do you have a clear CTA (Call-to-Action)? Make sure your readers understand what services or products are being promoted.
How do word choice and layout affect your audience’s engagement with content?
Word choice is important because you need to ensure that your audience understands the information that is being provided.
But it also affects the tone of the overall copy. Using warm and inviting terms like ‘we’ and ‘here at our company’ make your copy sound so much more inviting to readers. If you are trying to evoke emotion, then pay close attention to the type of words that you use.
The importance of layout should not be forgotten. Choosing the right words is important but consider how those words sound if they are just being lost in long bodies of texts.
- Having shorter paragraphs,
- Subheadings and
- Bullets points
will ensure that no information is being overlooked. It also makes the overall text look more appealing and less overwhelming to the reader.
How Brand Image is Built through its Copy?
Once again, word choice plays an important role. If your brand image is bold and exciting, then your copy needs to reflect that with the use of loud words. Think of the difference between words used for a children’s toy store as opposed to a medical website. They are vastly different, and each uses words that reflect the image of the brand.
The consistency of words used also reflects the brand image. The key is to ensure that style of writing for all the brand’s copy is consistent with the brand image. This is important because inconsistency will look unprofessional and could affect your audience’s confidence in the brand.
Have You Done Your Research?
Research and fact checking is essential for good copy. Why? Because the last thing you’d want is to post content with information that is not credible. Think about blogs for example. Blogs often become references on particular subjects because good research is put into the writing.
Another example, how can one write copy if you do not understand the service, product, or personality of the brand you are writing for? Lack of understanding will be clear in your writing, and this is not what you want.
So, take your time to research your topic thoroughly before actually beginning the writing.
Overall, the concept of ‘good’ copy is always changing over time as the modes of communication change.
Luckily, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with all this information because we are here to help you with your content marketing. We will ensure that your copywriting is both informative and engaging for your audience.