The language you use to describe your business and what you have to offer plays a significant role in converting your target audience into customers and clients. When it comes to online marketing, strategic copy is essential. Here are my top tips for writing copy that converts.

Why Copywriting for Conversions Matters

Whether someone visits your site and signs up for your email list, or heads to your online shop and makes a purchase, these conversions are essential to your success. To get someone to take those actions, though, you have to give them the information they want or need, and point them in the right direction.

Copywriting for conversions is a bit different from writing for other marketing content you share. It serves one purpose: to drive website traffic and result in an action. This copy tells the reader what your business can do for them and persuades them to take the next step. 

When written well, copy can motivate people to click a link, sign up for your email list, share your content on social media, or spend more time on your website. All of these are actions that help grow your business and build your customer base.

How to Discover Your Brand Voice

The voice you write your copy with should align with the rest of your branding. Communicating authentically and genuinely in your messaging will allow audiences to feel that they are getting to know you and develop a sense of trust in your brand. 

One step for discovering your brand voice is studying your target audience and how they communicate. Are they casual or formal? Do they enjoy stories, or are facts and stats what matters to them? 

Another way to develop your brand voice is to look at how your competition talks about their products and services. What about their voice don’t you like, or how do you want to sound different? You can also learn from competitors with brand voices you love. What about their voice resonates with you, and why?

Once you have an idea of your brand voice, an excellent way to test it is to read your copy aloud. Do the words and phrases sound like things you would say? Don’t use fancy vocabulary or sophisticated copywriting styles if they don’t resonate with your business. Make sure your copy and brand voice sound like you.

Words and Phrases That Convert

The key to writing copy for conversions is to use simple, clear, and direct language to motivate readers to take action. Here are some examples of successful phrasing you can use:

To imply urgency:

• Limited offer
• Spots running out
• Today only

To create a sense of power:

• Premium
• Complete
• Ultimate

To suggest exclusivity:

• Members-only
• Only available to subscribers
• VIP

To lower risk:

• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• FREE
• Reliable

To call to action:

• Subscribe now
• Join now
• Get access now

Strategies for Writing Copy that Converts

Copy that converts is very targeted, attracts specific people, and encourages them to take certain steps. These copywriting strategies will help you turn readers into conversions with carefully written text.

Write Copy for Your Personas 
If you haven’t already created personas for your ideal audience, now is a good time. Put some thought into your ideal customer’s gender, age, marriage status, where they live, etc. This will help you to write in a way that will attract and resonate with your audience.

Craft Attention-Grabbing Headlines
Headlines are vital to attracting attention, so make sure yours stand out. As readers scroll your website or an email, they’ll likely scan items of interest. For this reason, headlines should include keywords and phrases that make it clear why your audience would want to read your content.

Create Compelling Calls to Action
While a call to action (CTA) button with “Sign up now” might be useful on its own, CTAs surrounded by supportive copy, or “click triggers” fare much better. This might mean placing your CTA after a persuasive testimonial, or pairing it with clear text describing your service benefits. 

Do’s and Don’ts for Successful Copy

Whether you’re writing copy for your new landing page or for an email campaign, here are some Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind.

Do write clearly and succinctly. Use words and language that simply communicate what you want to say.

Don’t over complicate your language. Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs don’t add to your message. They might even make your text appear too long, which is unappealing to readers.

Do write for your audience. Hopefully, you’ve spent time identifying your ideal audience and developing brand personas to understand them. Write your copy to speak to them specifically. 

Don’t cast a wide net with your copy. It is okay to address a specific group of people, vs. trying to make your copy appeal to a broader audience. You know who you want to connect with, so focus on them.

Do include mentions of your product or service’s most important benefits and features. These are essential decision-making points for your target audience. 

Don’t exaggerate your capabilities or encourage false assumptions. Be honest about your business and let the facts be what your audience uses to make their decisions.

Writing copy that turns your readers into conversions is important to your business’s online marketing success. Whether you’re reviewing your existing content or preparing something new, try using these tips to ensure your copy converts.