Monday, March 1, 2010

Copywriting is Essential to Your Internet Marketing Strategy

 

Copywriting is Essential to Your Internet Marketing Strategy


The Internet is full of information. The tricky thing about information, though, is that someone has to produce it. Copywriting is a form of writing that sells a product or service. With the advent of article marketing, articles also now fall under the umbrella of copywriting, as do blogs and website text. Even videos involve copywriting – they need to have scripts and concepts behind them. You can’t escape it: Mastering copywriting is a vital part of Internet marketing, and copywriting is essential to the success of any Internet venture.


Copywriting is a No-Fluff Zone

The key to good copywriting is to boil everything down to only the essential. Good copywriting doesn’t tell life stories or every detail of how the product or service came to be; instead, good copywriting focuses only on what the product or service can do for the reader.

If it’s an article you are copywriting, stick to the topic at hand. Good copywriting questions itself. With every sentence and every word, it asks: “Do I really need this? Is it supporting my point? Is it helping to move my readers closer to where I want them to be?” If the answer is “no,” cut it for the sake of good copywriting.


Keep it Simple

The best copywriting is simple. Plain language is best when you are copywriting – even PhDs like it. Simplify your words, your message, and even the means of purchasing and financing your products and services, and good copywriting will naturally follow.


Write Like You Talk

The best copywriting uses a conversational style. We may not all love to read, but almost all of us like to listen to information. In your copywriting, readers should get the impression that you are relating directly to them. Don’t use the third person, and let them know that they will get something valuable by reading your copywriting. See the difference in these two copywriting examples:

“Nine out of ten doctors recommended X-Brand lozenges to relieve sore throat pain and suppress coughs.”

“When your throat burns and the coughs won’t stop, Y-Brand soothes and relieves you.”

Even better, good copywriting will give the reader the impression that you are sharing a secret or giving inside information, such as:

“Throat burning? Cough hacking? Try the secret weapon… Z-Brand. Shhh—if everyone knows there won’t be any left for you!”


Start with a Question

Good copywriting holds the interest of the reader from the opening sentence to the very last word.

An effective copywriting technique is to ask a question in the headline that directly addresses the reader, as in: “Embarrassed by dry, itchy scalp?” “Tired of waiting for your dial-up Internet service?” “Disgusted by the stinky cat litter box?” Use carefully crafted questions in your copywriting that aim directly at your target audience, and you will capture their attention.


State the Benefits and Desired Outcome

Good copywriting features a clear statement of the benefit of your product or service. Close the deal in your copywriting by showing the reader how to achieve the desired outcome by using your product or service.

Copywriting is a skill that can be learned. The more you do it, the better you get. Just make sure to get an experienced mentor whose copywriting work you respect to give you feedback on your work while you are learning. Listen to what he or she has to say.

Remember, no one is perfect; responding appropriately to criticism can improve your copywriting. Keep trying. You will get it right. Even the best writers find their copywriting skill gets better over time.

 

To read and learn more about copywriting and other essential internet marketing strategies, visit my website at http://LeliaRaynal4YourSuccess.com




1 comment:

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