If marketing was a tree, and its leaves were images and videos, copywriting would be the trunk that holds it all together. Learn how to maximise your words to improve your business. #business #writing #copywriting
3. People are busy!
Tell them what to expect if they click:
• how many points you're going to
make,
• how long it may take them to read,
• and what the piece is about.
5 reasons why your kids need a pet in their
lives.
1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
Example:
4. • Give your audience a real emotional
reason to click:
Beat the bullies: the ONE solution you (and
your kids!) need.
• Speak directly to them. The more
specific you are, the better:
Quit scratching today! Use our natural
solution for your eczema.
1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
5. 1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
5 ways headlines and email subject
lines should work.
• Be relevant to your audience’s
interests.
• Use 6-10 words. The shorter, the
better.
• Tell them the benefits. Why should
they read your piece?
• Use words like ‘without’, ‘regret’,
‘no’, and ‘STOP’ to make them
insecure.
• Use ‘you’ and ‘your’ to seem
7. But woah there.
All those emails were in my junk folder.
So maybe they don’t work that well.
Audiences want their needs to be fulfilled by
other humans and occasionally a furry
animal.
Maybe if those subject lines felt a bit more
human, and a little less shouty, they would
be in my inbox.
1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
8. Analyse your own junk mail folder or
promotions tab:
• Why are they in your junk?
• Had you opened any of them
already?
What made you open that piece-of-junk
email?
• Did you think it would be useful?
• Did it make you curious?
1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
9. • You know your business, so tell your
audience a benefit before they click
or scroll away.
• Be friendly, or professional; use
whatever tone suits best, but you
don’t need to shout.
• If the title contains one or more who,
what, where, why, or when, in under
10 words, you’ll probably get more
opens and clicks.
1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
10. But above all, be human, not shouty.
Because once you’ve got their
attention, you want to build a
relationship with your audience.
1 Attract attention
Grab attention from
specific audiences.
12. Show your audience you understand
their interests and expectations.
What will they want to know?
• What?
• Who?
• How (+ how much?)
• Where?
• When?
• Why?
2 Sustain interest Keep your audience’s
attention on your page.
13. For example, an article called “Baby
clothes that get brighter the more you
wash them” will need:
2 Sustain interest Keep your audience’s
attention on your page.
• What? Baby clothes that seem to get brighter
• Who? The brand and company that created
them
• Where? Available in which countries or regions?
• How or why? The technology behind it
• How much? The price
• and when they’re coming on the domestic
market so your readers can buy them.
14. Try not to miss any of those 6 pieces of
information. You don’t want to leave the
reader dissatisfied.
Put yourself in their shoes. If you felt a
bit short-changed when you read about
the product, would you want to buy it?
Don’t worry about writing too much.
Longer articles often sell better.
2 Sustain interest Keep your audience’s
attention on your page.
15. But don’t forget, when someone clicks
that headline, they’re expecting to see
information about Victoria Coren.
Show them you know what you’re
talking about.
• Use numbers
Victoria Coren never leaves the house without our
playing cards.
2 Sustain interest
284,000 people shared our DDA protest poster! Check
it out here!
Keep your audience’s
attention on your page.
• or name-drop if you can.
16. So, in the article, say:
• where she’s used the cards (which
big poker tournaments),
• why she likes them (their qualities),
and
• when she first used them.
In this example, real authority and
credibility can only come from an
interview or direct contact with the
poker star.
2 Sustain interest Keep your audience’s
attention on your page.
17. They can’t decide to buy your product
until they know why they need it.
• Give them product descriptions to
help them decide:
This double divan has over 1000 handsprung pockets,
scientifically shown to decrease common pressure points
and improve your back overnight.
• Don’t just tell them what it does; tell
them how it will benefit them, when
they’ll feel the benefits, and where
the bed will do them the most good.
2 Sustain interest Keep your audience’s
attention on your page.
18. Stoke
their
desires
Explain to your audience
how they’ll benefit from
your product, service or
information within your
blog posts, product
descriptions and articles.
3
19. Turn features into benefits, so they can
clearly see why they need your product or
service.
This messenger bag is light and strong, and is 28" x 16",
with two spacious pockets either side, so it's the only bag
you'll need when you have to drag your laptop and all its
cables to work.
• You’re not selling a dream, you’re
marketing real products.
• Offer them real benefits they can relate to.
• Give them something to aspire to.
3 Stoke their desires Explain how your
product benefits them.
20. • Once they think about the
possibilities of what your product
could do for them, their desires are
stoked to a medium-high heat.
• Follow up straight away with a ‘call-
to-action’ on the last line of your
article or product description.
3 Stoke their desires Explain how your
product benefits them.
21. Act
now!
At the end of your social
media post, advert, blog
post or product description,
tell your readers exactly
what to do next, with a
swift call-to-action.
4
22. Calls to action, buttons, and inline links, are
all good opportunities to provide instructions.
• Tell your audience what to do. How to buy.
Where to go for more information.
The clearer you are, the easier it is for them
to decide what to do.
They can still click away, but the more
helpful, real, and genuine your persuasion,
the more likely they are to follow your
instructions.
4 Act now! Tell your readers what to do
next, with a call-to-action.
23. Calls-to-ACTION examples
Go to SakinaMurdock.com to learn more about
great web writing.
Get more sunshine in
your life.
What are you waiting for?
4 Tell your readers what to do
next, with a call-to-action.
FLY
NOW!
ENROL!
Inline:
Buttons
Act now!
24. Do it
yourself?
If you’re not sure whether
to write your own work or
hire a copywriter to do it
for you, try this neat little
thinking tool right now to
help you decide.
5
25. Act now!
Only you can decide if you want to do
your own writing for your business.
Time is money and quality costs money,
so think about the implications in these
3 terms:
• Do you have time to write your own?
• Can you afford the cost of an expert to
write it for you?
• Can you produce great quality writing
yourself?
5 Decide whether or not to do
it yourself.Do it yourself?
26. 5 Do it yourself?
Decide whether or not to do
it yourself.
27. Recap
Boost your business with good web
writing:
1. Grab a specific audience’s attention.
2. Keep your audience’s attention on
your page.
3. Explain to them how they will benefit
from your business.
4. Tell your readers what to do next, with
a call-to-action.
5. Decide whether or not to do it
yourself.
28. Websites are mostly words.
Without good quality writing your
website won't reach its potential in
audience, sales or income for you.
Invest in good quality, attention-
grabbing and targeted web writing to
ensure you
get the best from your website.
Good writing matters
29. I’ve had an unusual career over the years.
I’ve worked in TV, film and video, twice been a
PA in the NHS, and more recently a home
carer in rural Cumbria. Those are just a few.
I’ve walked in a lot of people’s shoes so I’m
able to write realistically, and from many
points of view.
Credentials for writing? Well, I’ve got an
honours degree that starts with the word
‘English’. Experience has always been more
important in my eyes.
About Sakina
Only dead fish go with the flow.
Let’s talk about the
writing you need for your website
Contact me
