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Recipes for Writing Copy That Captivates and Converts: The Awesome Sauce

Dan Nedelko

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This week I have the tall order of writing about great writing - writing copy that captivates and converts. No pressure. Easy, right? Did I say writing enough times?

You've heard this endlessly, I'm sure. The same old advice. "Hey, you want good results? Create amazing content!" Oh ok. No problem. So, I just need to make amazing content. OK. How hard could that be?

Think of all the content out there. Now think of all the content that is good. Now think of all the content that is amazing. Intimidated yet?

It's all well and good to just say, "Hey, write amazing copy and you'll draw people in." But what does that even mean? How is that good advice? What is considered amazing and how do you write it?

The good news - it's not nearly as complicated and impossible as I just made it sound. If this turns out to be a boring slog of a read, please feel free to roast me.

So, what goes into that awesome sauce? Let's find out.

Check out the video or podcast above where Dan and the bees discuss some great methods for writing copy that converts, using examples from their own work, as well as articles from leading marketing gurus and platforms.

Subscribe to our weekly live stream on Facebook, or take it on the go with a podcast on your choice of platforms. Keep up-to-date on news, trends, and tips in the world of digital marketing and join in on the conversation.

What's New?

We haven't been inundated with social media drama this week. That's new, right?

There have been some interesting new innovations in some of the tools and platforms we use, though!

Instagram via TechCrunch

What's Working?

So I guess I should probably get to the "how-to-write-good" part. WELL. Where do we start. Ahem. You know where. Same as always. The beginning.

Do Your Keyword Research

Before you start writing, even before the headline, you're going to want to do your keyword research. This will make a huge difference in how your content ranks with Google.

There's plenty of awesome tools out there to use, like Screaming Frog or SEMrush.

Or even using the Google Search to see what keywords and keyword phrases come up first -

and those that are displayed at the bottom of the search page in the "Searches related to" section.

Using these tools, you can determine the best keywords for your content and use them when writing your copy to help you rank higher as an authority for those search terms.

Here's a quick list of tips for helping with keyword research:

The Headline

This is incredibly important, and quite often the make or break element that's the difference between someone clicking on your content and someone ignoring it.

For example:

Writing Good Headlines is Hard. Click Here to Get Better.

If your headline reads something like this, no one is clicking on it unless they had already intended to buy something from you - or they owe you a favour.

(Also, how many people tried to click that headline? It's fine. Just admit it to yourself. No one needs to know.)

Before I even start brainstorming ideas, I need to really think about my intentions, my message, what I'm trying to say.

I want to tell people about a blog I wrote about writing copy that converts.

Now I need to think about the reader. Who are they and why do they want to read my blog? See the above headline. Sorry, that's lazy. You'll get over it.

In other words, you need to create a persona - or personas, depending on your target audience - so that you better understand who they are and what they want.

So how do I make that headline good, now that I've taken into consideration what I want to say, and recognized that the reader's pain point is the difficulty in writing copy that really captivates?

How about turning it into a question:

 Who Else Wants to Know the Mystery Behind Writing Killer Headlines?

Or making it an ever-popular list with something unexpected thrown in:

23 Ways to Write Killer Headlines With One Hand Tied Behind Your Back

Or the very title of this blog here that you're reading. To the point, with a little fun thrown in. You clicked on it. Maybe. Probably.

Here are some more resources to help you get started with writing your own killer headlines:

How to Write Copy That Captivates

Here we go. Into the thick meat of it. Sorry vegetarians. Please imagine a thick slab of finely seasoned seitan, instead.

The one thing you definitely never want to do is try to tap into the pulse if you can't actually feel it. It will be painfully obvious and if you're lucky, the only thing that will happen is you'll get memed into the joke of the week.

Stick with what you know, and where you specialize.

Writing copy that converts is challenging. An easy way to deal with it is to freakin' relax. Be a person, and act like you're talking to a person.

I'm imagining you, dear reader, right now as I write, and then I read it back in a weird accent and try to see it as you will see it.

(Not that you have a weird accent, it's just fun to make silly voices, right? I'm not alone here. Don't judge me.)

Some key things to consider when writing copy:

I know, I know. You want examples. Fine. Let's do this.

Which of these 2 copy examples do you find more captivating:

Get a discount on these great wireless headphones by filling out this form now!

or...

We’ve saved you a special discount on your next set of wireless headphones. Put up your tired feet, untangle your old pair to give them a final, loving sendoff for serving you well, and tune in to your favourite song or podcast while you fill out this short form.

So, what did I do there? I made it more engaging by speaking directly to the reader, by addressing a pain point and showing empathy, demonstrating that I understand their situation.

Let's take a look at some real examples of posts we've written here at Honeypot, and break down what they're doing right. We'll look at both organic and PPC ad posts to give you a good range of styles and strategies.

Organic Posts

Pot FIller for you Dog - Delta Faucet Canada

Between the image and the copy, we were able to showcase the versatility of the product. Proving that pot fillers aren't just for making pasta, but can make it easier for your dog to always have a fresh bowl of water. Yay doggo!

Lightbox Inspiration - Honeypot Marketing

The image isn't only lovely, but it's accompanied by copy that really resonated with the KWAWESOME community, especially during the height of COVID-19 when many small businesses were struggling.

 

One of the top Facebook organic posts for Delta Faucet Canada was this one on how to pick a bathroom faucet.

We repurposed their content and made it an easy to follow instruction guide. Then we posted it on Friday before a weekend to inspire the weekend warriors. We didn't sell the product but instead talked about how we were providing free information so consumers could make an informed choice.

Here's a popular one on Honeypot's Facebook.

It's a good use of humour and encourages readers to stop and read in the feed. We were also able to tag other businesses that shared the content. Who doesn't love a good (bad) dad joke?

This is a good example of a longer form LinkedIn post via Honeypot that received good engagement.

Longer form content performs well on LinkedIn if it's told through the context of a story. Make sure you add hashtags. Also, tagging the business mentioned helps to improve the reach of this post.

This post performed great on LinkedIn.

It shared a useful tip with a video clip from the show. It also achieved greater reach because it was tagging another local business. The copy is straight and to the point, offering the tip and the option to watch to learn more.

Delta Faucets - Pinterest

6 Kitchen Upgrades That Make Grown Chefs Cry

Are you thinking about updating your kitchen? Then you'll want to make sure you renovate the right things that will take your meal-making to a new level. We've compiled the 6 items that you'll want to renovate to create a top-notch kitchen. #kitchen #deltafaucet #faucet #fridge #stovetop #stove #potfiller #knobs #handles #chef #meals #cooking #renovations #kitchenreno #kitchenupgrade #makeover #renovate #newlook #happycookhappylife

This post has a great headline and the copy reads in a very conversational tone. Also, lists. Everyone loves lists.

Here is another Delta Faucet post that performed well on Pinterest. Note how it acknowledges the importance of the kitchen and the emotional attachment we generally have toward it.

Your kitchen is the heart of your home, and maybe you are looking for ways to add a nice touch-up. #krystinlee has some great ideas on how you can provide your kitchen with a makeover, all on a budget. #KitchenMakeover #Kitchen #Makeover #KitchenRemodel #NewLook #HomeDecor #WhiteKitchen #HeartOfYourHome #KitchenRevamp #NewKitchenWhoDis #Remodel #Revamp #BudgetKitchenMakeover #Budget #DecorLifestyle #Lifestyle #Home

PPC Posts

This ad succeeded by creating a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) - making something seem more desirable because it is in small supply.

We were promoting a free webinar for our client on Facebook ads. The campaign was running for 1.5 weeks before the webinar date. Here are the campaign metrics: (June 12 - June 17, 2020)

After we updated the messaging to instill that sense of FOMO, there was a significant increase in the performance of the campaign. (June 18 - June 23, 2020)

Examples of the Messaging:

Customer testimonials are a tried and true method of enticing potential customers on digital platforms. Testimonials from friends, co-workers, and people we trust reduce feelings of risk. They build confidence in the brand.

The ad is currently running on Facebook. It has 5 purchases at a cost/ conversion of $12.66.

That's probably enough real-world examples. Let's move on to one final tip.

Make Higher Converting Landing Pages

Landing pages are one of the best ways to get conversions, but you don't just want to slap a landing page together and just hope that people will sign up.

You also don't want to just focus on a portion of the funnel. You want to consider the whole customer journey.

Most post-click landing pages are pretty generic and are written in a very sales-y tone. Yep, I just created a new word. Roll with it.

The rules for writing copy for a landing page are generally the same as what has been covered above, but here's a list because I just can't help myself.

Here is an example of a simple, great landing page:

Here is a template showing the 5 main elements of a typical landing page. Keep in mind you don't need to add this much content to your landing page. It's entirely dependant on your business and offer, but it's a great reference to have on hand when you're putting your page together.

There are many tools you can use to build your landing page. Here is a list of a few. We use Unbounce at Honeypot quite often.

And that's a wrap. We hope you found these tips helpful and you're now better prepared to get out there and create amazing content for the world to adore.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope it was entertaining and informative enough for you to not roast me. Let us know in the comments below, or share some of your own tips and stories!

Until next time.

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