Ultimately, it’s your ad copy that makes or breaks your Internet marketing campaign. If you’re intimidated by the idea of ‘copywriting’ and writing your own copy, you shouldn’t be. It’s much simpler than you think and it just takes a change of mindset.
Writing ad copy isn’t like other types of writing.
In fact, it’s really not ‘writing’ at all – it’s selling with words. If you can write an email to a friend, you can write a sales page. It’s not the wording that’s important but what you do with it. There are just a few simple guidelines for you to follow.
The Magic Word Is ‘You’
When you write ad copy, you’re not really writing about your product or service. You’re writing about them – the prospects. Don’t talk on and on about this product and what it does. Don’t refer to yourself. Instead, focus everything on them. How is the product going to make their lives better? Use the word ‘you’ often; it has a magical effect when used in ad copy.
Benefits, Not Features
If you’re describing a product, you might be tempted to talk about its features. Maybe it’s a camera that has a high-spec lens. Maybe it’s an SEO service you’re offering where you have insider contacts with major websites. These are great features, but what you should focus on is the benefits for them.
In other words, this lens will help them shoot farther with greater resolution, or it’ll make taking pictures easier. Your services will get their website at the top of the SERPs. You should mention features, but don’t forget to tell your prospects how these features translate into benefits that make their lives better.
Push Their Buttons
Ad copy is all about identifying and pushing emotional hot buttons. You should appeal to their emotional and not practical side. For example, a middle-aged man doesn’t buy a sports car because it’s the fastest car on the road; he buys it because he wants other people (most likely, younger women!) to see him driving it. A good car salesman understands the real reasons we want sports cars.
Likewise, you should know your target market well enough to understand their real reasons for buying your product, and sell that to them instead.
Proof And Credibility
You’ll be making lots of claims in your ad copy and pushing lots of buttons, but be sure you back them up with credible proof. Cite statistics or scientific studies. Give them testimonials from real people about how your product helped them. After you make your claims, follow it up with proof so they know it’s not just hype.
The Call To Action
Finally, the most important element in ad copy is the call to action. Don’t just tell them how cool your product is and why they need it – tell them to click here now to buy it. When a prospect is sitting on the fence, the call to action gets them to jump off.
Writing great ad copy isn’t hard to do at all. It really doesn’t require great writing skills. What it requires is for you to understand your reader, focus on them, and tell them how your product will help their life.
