When running a small business, writing online copy is not usually an owner’s top priority. But great copywriting can significantly improve your sales, business growth, and relationship with customers. If you’re not a professional copywriter, it can be hard to choose the right words that are engaging, informative and impactful all at the same time.
The good news is there are still ways you can write compelling content for your business’s website, social media, proposals and so forth. Here is what you should and shouldn’t do when you want to write content that will attract more customers.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep
People don’t like being lied to or deceived. If you claim that your employees are ‘always’ on time or offer ‘the best’ services but can’t prove or live up to it, avoid using these words. Words are powerful, and one hyperbole or false claim can leave your clients disappointed and gone for good.
Of course, everyone wants to hype their business up. If you do, make sure to provide evidence to back up your claims. Instead of saying ‘the leading commercial plumber in Sydney’, it sounds more credible to say, ‘Three of Australia’s top 10 listed businesses use our services’.
Use positive language
Using the words ‘no’ or ‘never’ can be good sometimes, such as when you say ‘no added costs’ or ‘never leave you disappointed’. But they are associated with negative feelings, which can deter people from your business. Use positive language to better connect with your audience.
For example, instead of, ‘There is no added cost to get a quote,’ you can try, ‘get a quote for free’. Or instead of, ‘We will never leave a mess,’ try, ‘We offer clean and professional services’.
Keep it simple
You want to describe your team or services in a helpful and informative way, but you don’t want to bombard your reader with too much information. Many think the more fancy words you use, the smarter you’ll seem. However, studies have shown that using big complicated terms and jargon makes you come across as less knowledgeable. Readers see right through it. If you make the text difficult to read and understand, potential clients will quickly lose interest in you and your business.
Make sure your copy is concise and straight to the point. Speak to the reader as a human. Here are some replacement words you can use to be more engaging:
- Instead of assist… use help
- Instead of demonstrate… use show
- Instead of comply with… use follow
- Instead of during such time… use while
- Instead of in some cases… use sometimes
- Instead of in the near future… use soon
- Instead of illustrate… use show
- Instead of in order to… use to
- Instead of requires… use needs
Often when we want to emphasise our incredible, unique work, we tend to be repetitive. Here are some ways to showcase how great you are while still keeping it concise.
- Instead of actual experience… use experience
- Instead of absolutely essential… use essential
- Instead of major disaster… use disaster
- Instead of completely eliminate… use eliminate
- Instead of most unique… use unique
- Instead of end result… use result
Use confident tone
Businesses are much more appealing when they are sure of what they can and will do for people. Use less verbs like ‘think’, ‘strive’, and ‘could’, which give a sense of uncertainty, and use more verbs like ‘will’, ‘are’, and ‘has’, which are more assertive. ‘We will provide solutions…’ sounds more confident and appealing than ‘we strive to provide solutions…’. These small but powerful changes that make you sound more confident and trustworthy will win you those leads against competitors.
Write what’s in it for them
There is a fine line between writing about what makes your business, service or product great and what readers actually care about. Frame your writing so that the reader immediately knows what’s in it for them and how their problems can be solved.
Instead of saying, ‘We are releasing X, our newest product on our best-selling range,’ consider writing, ‘Save time and money by taking advantage of X, the newest product in our most loved range’. Announcing the benefit first will be more engaging to your reader.
Make it easy to find you
In the online space, finding the right words also means finding the best words for search engine optimisation (SEO). Good SEO practices will get your website to the top of the Google results when someone searches for a certain product or service you offer. The terms that people are searching for are called keywords. Find out what your customers are typing by doing keyword research. You might offer ‘water leak detection’, but people are searching for ‘find bathroom leak’. Once you identify what people are typing into Google, use those specific terms in your writing and website so that have a better chance of showing in the top results.
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The words and tone you use to communicate with your customers are very important. Use these helpful copywriting tips in your marketing copy to attract more readers and convert those leads.
Looking to get a professional to write your marketing copy for you? Elite Words can help with copywriting, copy editing and content strategy. Contact us today!
