Copy must be designed to get the reader’s attention from the first word in the first line till the end of the copy, keeping your audience engaged and transfixed on the copy till he absorbs the message, gets convinced, and take the necessary action.
The message must be clear, short, and concise to enable easy communication. Like I said, excessively lengthy texts will only bore out the reader rather than impress them. You are not writing a paper for your college professor. In this chapter, I will thoroughly explain the perfect structure to go about writing your copy.
The Headline
Your headline is the most important part of your copy, no matter what you are writing for. Even if it is a video, it is the headline that will determine if the audience will be inspired to watch or not. Your headline is similar to seeing a beautiful lady or a handsome guy; you already like what you see before talking to this person.
However, you may eventually have a conversation with the person and realize that he/she isnโt a fit for you. But if you meet a stranger looking rough and tattered, even if he has the highest IQ in existence, you wonโt bother to find out because the person’s outlook isnโt a pleasant one. This is the same effect that your headline has on your copy. If it isnโt catchy or attractive, no matter how detailed and rich the body is, very few people will read that.
The 80/20 rule is fundamental, as it reminds us to focus the bulk of our energy on our headlines. If we can get 80% of the audience to read the first 20% of the copy, they will most likely read the remaining 80% of the article. โPut in more efforts to your headlines, sub-headers, and your introductory phrases โ which is usually the smallest part of your copyโ If you can get them to read the first 20%, then they will most likely read the remaining 80% of the content.
A poorly written headline could throw your entire copy in the bin, your potential customer is ready to spend, but if he doesnโt get convinced by your headline, he will definitely spend his money โ although not with your business. If you employ a copywriter who charges you $100 for a copy. Ensure your headline is worth $80, based on the 80/20 rule; because that is where the majority of the value of a copy lies.
There are many tips on creating a highly converting headline, but I will outline a few in this guide. They are:
Be Specific
You do not need to beat about the bush. Your headline should be specific; let them know what they are signing up for in a simple sentence. Hit the nail on the head, and make it as short as possible. After reading your headline, your audience should have a clear expectation of what to expect. You can utilize numbers. This forces your content to be very specific and looks sure of your offering. This confidence is passed on to your audience, and they are inclined to get interested in your offer.
Capitalize On Emotional Words
Emotional words in copy headlines pass on the emotions in your text to your readersโ brain. Your audience will typically read your words in their minds, unconsciously emphasizing these emotional words. If you are a travel agency and you want to write a blog post as a content driver, say you want to write about the best honeymoon locations around the world. You could go: โ10 AMAZING Honeymoon Destinations That Youโve Never Heard Of.โ This is quite a catchy topic for a potential traveler as it lets the reader understand your emotions that these places are amazing. Eventually, the reader may open the blog post and discover that he has heard of them before, but you have gotten him to open your post. You probably even included a few CTAs that give him information on the cheapest available flight tickets; this could make your reader a subscriber to your newsletter. Whenever he decides to travel, I can bet youโll be the first agency on his wish list as you have already created a bond with him using your copy โ and it all starts from the headline. Apart from โAmazing,โ there are a thousand emotional words to use in headlines. Moderation is essential, so it is very OK to use just one per headline.
Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)
You can utilize the application of FOMO to your headline strategy, although only at strategic times. You need to ensure that the product is one that is in high demand. You may introduce a price slash and make people rush the product because you have ensured to let them know that there is a limited amount of stock available. Nobody wants to miss out on the bumper deals, so they will be inclined to buy these products quick before it becomes unavailable. If you sell an online tool, such as a VPN and your premium offer is $9.99 per month, you could announce via social media and to email subscribers that you will be doing a 50% price slash for the first 100 people to subscribe to your VIP package.โ Many people probably want the premium package but are unwilling to pay that amount for it. But if they can see that they only need to pay $4.99 for that same value, many people will jump on the offer because they do not want to miss out on the moving train. This headline strategy has worked a lot of times, and because Internet users make a lot of emotional purchase decisions, it will always work.
As you can see from this copy, this website has created a sense of urgency with a very irresistible offer. We only have 9 hours to go, and the audience will gladly accept this offer as itโd be a cheap bargain
Offer Irresistible Benefits To Your Readers
One key strategy for creating specific headlines is offering irresistible benefits to the audience. Your headline should highlight the benefits he will get, how soon he will get it, and a clause to overcome his objections. For example: โEnjoy Unlimited Access To Keyword tools, beat your competitors at their game in a month, 100% money-back guaranteeโ. This offer is an irresistible offer to your potential customer who may be skeptical about being a premium subscriber to this tool. Still, as soon as he sees the 100% money-back guarantee, he is assured that it will definitely work for him, and if he doesnโt, he will get his money back. In the copy, after the headline, you should list the conditions that will make the money-back guarantee valid, such as โnot using any of the premium toolsโ and many more.
Uniqueness
You should avoid copying the headlines of other people. Remember, your audiences are all over the place, and they know what they have seen before and where they have seen it. Donโt base your copy on plagiarism. Create something unique, and you will grab the attention of your audience.
There are dozens of tips on creating outstanding headlines, but the summary of it all is that you should be able to get the reader curious from the headline such that he will be inspired to read the remainder of the copy. Also, offer clear benefits to your readers, let them know what to take away from reading the headline, and ensure that your benefits are guaranteed to be enjoyed as early as possible.
You may also input your headline into a free headline analyzer, the โAmerican Marketing Institute Headline Analyzerโ to determine the strength of your headline.
Key Highlights for Writing Compelling Copy:
- The Headline Matters Most: The headline is crucial for attracting readers’ attention. It’s like a first impression that determines whether people engage with your content.
- 80/20 Rule: Focus 80% of your effort on crafting powerful headlines, sub-headers, and introductions. This initial engagement often leads to the rest of your content being read.
- Be Specific: Your headline should convey a clear message in a concise manner. Avoid ambiguity; use numbers to make your offering precise and attractive.
- Emotional Appeal: Use emotional words to connect with readers and evoke a response. Emotional headlines resonate better and draw readers in.
- Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Create urgency with limited-time offers or deals. Trigger FOMO to encourage quick action, especially for high-demand products or services.
- Irresistible Benefits: Highlight the benefits readers will gain from your content or offer. Address objections, show quick results, and include guarantees for added appeal.
- Uniqueness: Avoid copying headlines from others. Originality captures attention and prevents your content from blending in with others.
- Create Curiosity: Craft headlines that pique readers’ curiosity and make them eager to learn more. The headline should provide a teaser of what’s inside.
- Headline Analyzer: Use tools like the “American Marketing Institute Headline Analyzer” to assess the effectiveness of your headline in capturing attention.
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