10 Copywriting skills you need to success

The demand for copywriters is growing every day. If you check almost any website, you’ll find a distinct kind of writing and piece of content that helps drive home the message of the site. Whether it’s an article on a website, a blog post on Medium, Social media posts or even just a product descriptions on Amazon; copywriting is everywhere. It might not seem like it at first glance, but creating good content is extremely difficult. That’s because copywriting requires creating quality content that drives home the message and intent of your brand or business in the most effective way possible. Even if you don’t think you need to know about this stuff for your current job or other endeavors, learning about copywriting can be incredibly helpful, no matter what job you have or plan to have in the future.

What’s so important about copywriting?

This is a great question, especially if you have never considered yourself as a content writer or if you are not currently working in a career that requires you to write. The short answer is that copywriting is the art of persuasion, and it is incredibly important because it can persuade people to buy something from you. The entire marketing world is designed to make people want to purchase your product or service. Marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry because it is essential to the success of businesses around the world. The same goes for almost any other type of company. Whether it’s a tech company selling their latest virtual reality headset or a charity trying to get people to donate to their cause, the ability to persuade your target audience to buy your product is crucial.

Good copywriting requires good writing skills

Most people see the word “copywriting” and think that they can just wing it and be successful. The unfortunate truth is that if you approach the process without any copywriting skills, you will likely not succeed. Even if you’re not creating a novel or short story, creating effective copy takes a significant amount of essential skill. You must know how to craft a story with a beginning, middle, and end. You need to know how to use words to paint a picture for your audience, and how to evoke feelings in them that will get them to take some sort of action. Copywriting and creative writing are not the same thing. Creative writing is an entirely different technical skill set that focuses on creating beautiful, thoughtful pieces of art.

Good copy requires good marketing skills

Good marketers know how to create a compelling message that resonates with their audience. Good marketers understand what their audience wants and needs and how to get that information into their heads in the most effective way. Content creator (blog posts, social media posts...) also need to have a basic understanding of how to use words in the right way so that they don’t come off as pushy or in any way manipulative. If you’ve ever encountered a marketing message that made you feel bad for not taking action or for not buying their product, you’ve encountered bad marketing. In order to write effective marketing copy that drives your audience to take action, you need to know how to talk to people in a way that makes them feel like it’s a conversation between friends and not an advertisement.

Click here to find out how to become a copywriter without having the knowledge

Essential copywriting skills for success

- Storytelling

Most people who write copy start with the idea that they have to create a story that’s related to the product or service they are promoting. This is a huge mistake. The first thing you should do is try to re-frame the story you’re trying to tell. Instead of focusing on your product and how amazing it is, focus on the needs of your audience and how you are helping them. For example, let’s say you are trying to sell an item of cleaning services. Instead of talking about how your company cleans homes, focus on the needs of your clients. Maybe they are too busy to clean their homes, or they have health issues that keep them from being able to clean.

- Arousing Emotions

The next essential copywriting skill you need to focus on is making sure that your audience feels a certain way. Choose one or two emotions that your product and story evoke, and focus on making those emotions come to life. For example, let’s say you are a dog walking and sitting service business owner. You could focus on the emotions of joy and excitement that your customers feel when they cannot care for their dog during the workday and instead of having to leave him at a kennel.

- Creating a Hook

If you’ve ever read an article or watched a TV show and didn’t finish it or remember what happened in it, you’ve encountered a bad hook. A bad hook is the first part of your story that you can’t remember. A good hook is one that makes your audience want to know more. A good hook makes your audience curious and interested in what happens next.

- Creating Urgency

If you are offering a product or service, chances are that you want your customers to purchase from you as quickly as possible. If you don’t create a sense of urgency, you risk losing potential customers to the competition. Urgency can come in different forms. You can create it by focusing on the limited number of available products or services. You can also create it by focusing on how quickly your customer’s problem or need could be solved if they purchase your product or service.

- Creating a Call to Action

A call to action is the last thing you want to write in your copy. If you put it at the end of your copy, it can be confusing to your readers, who may not know what they should do next. You should make sure that the call to action is a clear one. It should be easy for your readers to find when they need what you have to offer. You can also make it more difficult for your readers by making it seem like an annoying question or demand, rather than a request for information or action.

- Avoiding Clichés

Clichés are simply words that are used too often in writing and can get old quickly. Writing copy too often can make it appear as though you are trying too hard to sound smart or clever. So if you have something important coming up in the world of marketing communications, don’t overuse clichés.

- Keeping Your Words Simple

Your copy should be easy to read and understand. The best way to do this is by using simple words rather than fancy words that don’t really mean anything. If you have a complicated idea or message, make sure you take the time to break it down into two or three parts, so that readers can get the information they need quickly and easily. Don’t try to do too much at once in your copy – just focus on what you want to say and let your readers figure out how to get it for themselves.

- A Good Idea

Don't use an idea as a crutch... You need to use an idea for its own sake and for its power. Ideas are powerful because they give people new ways of looking at things. They allow people to see things differently than they normally would without even trying, which is what allows them to see new possibilities in their lives or in the world around them. When people use an idea as a crutch, they are giving up on it and using it as an excuse for why nothing has worked out for them before. That's when ideas lose their power!

- Making Your Words Sound Unique

Your copy should be unique and stand out from other similar types of content. But remember that not all copy is created equal – some is more ‘unique’ than others. So make sure that your copy doesn’t sound too similar to other things you have written before or copied elsewhere. In fact, if you can find a way to make your copy stand out from other content on the internet, it will help keep your audience interested in reading it.

- Writing for Search Engine Optimisation

Finding the right keywords for your content is critical to attracting customers because search engines are looking for those keywords in order to find relevant content for their users. You can use Google Keyword Planner as a great resource for finding keywords that will help boost visibility of your business online. However, if you would prefer not to use Google Keyword Planner as a resource, you can also do key word search on sites such as SE Ranking or KWFinder.

4 traits of great copywriters

- A Curious Mind

If you want to become a successful copywriter, you need to possess a curious mind. You have to be constantly learning new things, reading articles, and taking in new information. Not only will this help you to create better content and connect with your audience. It will also help you to stay current with the latest trends, products, and services. A curious mind is essential for great copywriting because it helps you to constantly be discovering new information and inspirations for your writing.

- A Keen Eye for Details

Successful copywriters also have a keen eye for details. This means that you always pay attention to the small things. You notice when someone has an untied shoe, an unbuttoned shirt, or a coffee stain on a table, and you are quick to correct it. Not only does this make you more effective at your job, but it also helps you to improve your customer service and communication skills, and it allows you to notice things that others might miss. This can be helpful in many different situations, especially when you are trying to create a story or narrative that drives home your product or service.

- A Strong Voice

You also need to have a strong voice. A strong voice is one that is unique and authentic. Nobody writes like you do, and that’s a good thing. You have to be able to write and express yourself in a way that is distinct from everyone else. You want your customers to recognize your voice and understand that whenever they read something from you, it is coming from you.

- A Strong Brand

If you have a strong voice, you also need a strong brand. You need to be able to be distinctive and unique, but also have a recognizable brand. Your brand should not just be your company name; it should also be your product or service name. It should sound like the type of product or service that you offer. If you can’t think of anything unique that you offer, then don’t bother trying to write it down; just pick something generic like “product” or “service” and make sure it sounds good.

Conclusion

Successful businesses and brands rely on a skilled copywriter to get their message across to their audience. If you want to be successful in any business, you need to know how to create compelling content that drives your audience to take the action you want them to take. The best way to do this is to learn how to write effective copy. You can do this by focusing on storytelling, arousing emotions, creating a hook, and creating urgency. You can do this by having a curious mind, a keen eye for details, and a strong voice.