Digital has changed the way people read. Attention spans are short, distractions are everywhere and language keeps evolving. Yet many marketers still write in formal, academic or legacy styles that don’t reflect how people actually consume content today. Here are my top tips for copy that works.
“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” – Rudyard Kipling
1. Understand your audience
- Know who you’re talking to: who they are, what motivates them, what’s holding them back, and their lifestyle and media habits. Customer personas help.
- Write for one person rather than a group. The more personal your message, the more effective it will be.
- Follow your house style, but adapt your tone for your audience and channel.
2. Set your objectives
Before you write a word, decide what you want your reader to:
- Know: the information they need.
- Think: the opinion you want them to form.
- Feel: the emotion you want to create.
- Do: the action you want them to take.
3. Break the rules (sometimes)
Good copywriters push boundaries. That’s why their words work.
- It’s fine to use contractions, isn’t it?
- And to start sentences with conjunctions.
- Vary your sentence length. Use fragments. It works.
- Cut unnecessary punctuation. It hinders, rather than helps.
- Don’t over-capitalise. It’s old-fashioned and harder to read.
4. Evoke emotion
“Reason leads to conclusions. Emotion leads to action.” – Donald Calne, neurologist
We rely on emotion to make decisions, because the information we have is usually incomplete. We even explain our choices with feelings: I loved it, it just felt right. So:
- use emotive words, such as Enjoy studying at a world-class university
- help people picture themselves in the story: Imagine this was your classroom
5. Persuade with logic, credibility and emotion
Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion still apply:
- Logos (logic): facts, details and data that support your claim.
- Ethos (credibility): your reputation, expertise and authority.
- Pathos (emotion): personal relevance, emotional appeal and vivid language.
6. Simplify complex ideas
Make your copy clear, concise, credible, compelling and conversational.
Be clear
- Use plain, everyday language your customers use.
- Write how you’d say it.
- Avoid empty hype, such as amazing, ground-breaking and innovative. Show, don’t tell.
- Use the active voice.
Instead of: The most recent research into graduate salaries has revealed that graduates earn more than non-graduates.
Try: Did you know graduates earn more than people without a degree?
Be concise
- Don’t waffle. Give people what they need to know – and nothing more.
- Aim for one idea and around 20 words or fewer per sentence, and two to five sentences per paragraph.
- Mix shorter and longer sentences to give your writing rhythm.
- Write for mobile: many of your readers will be on a small screen.
Be credible
- Back up claims with statistics, testimonials and case studies.
- Ditch the jargon. It won’t make you sound credible – it’ll just turn readers off.
Be compelling
- Customers aren’t interested in you. They’re interested in what you can do for them.
- Don’t just describe your product: explain how it improves your customer’s life.
- Have one clear overarching message – your value proposition.
- End with a clear call to action, such as Order your prospectus.
Be conversational
- Formality creates distance. Friendliness builds trust.
- Talk directly to your reader using ‘you’ and ‘we’.
Instead of: Students will benefit from work placement opportunities.
Try: You’ll gain real work experience on a placement, preparing you for your perfect career.
7. Use headlines that work hard
People glance, then scan, then read – and you can lose them at every stage:
- Glance: they see headlines, subheadings and images first, so your key messages and keywords must be there.
- Scan: they pick up headings, highlighted text and fragments of copy.
- Read: they skim until they have enough information, get distracted or get bored.
Use headings that carry your core messages, or that intrigue people enough to read on, such as Step into our world.
8. Finish properly
- For online copy, include relevant keywords naturally so people can find you in search. See my guide to website copywriting.
- Always have your work edited and proofread before it goes live.
Handy resources
- Guardian and Observer style guide: answers to tricky questions of grammar and usage.
- Grammarly: catches mistakes and suggests clearer phrasing.
- Hemingway Editor: highlights long sentences and passive voice to make your writing bolder and clearer.
Bringing it together
Effective copywriting starts with your audience, has a clear purpose, and uses simple, emotional, persuasive language to move people to act. Keep it clear, keep it human, and keep testing what works.
Need copy that connects and converts? I write award-winning copy for websites, campaigns and brands, and run copywriting training for teams. Get in touch to find out more.