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How to get relevant traffic with SEO copywriting

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Using SEO copywriting to get relevant search engine traffic

Using SEO copywriting to get relevant search engine traffic

Anybody can get traffic from search engines. Very few can get relevant traffic.

Well thought of SEO copywriting can help you get more relevant traffic from search engines, as rightly suggested by this Copyblogger blog post.

What is SEO copywriting?

SEO copywriting means writing content on your website or blog with the intention of improving your search engine rankings but at the same time, maintaining the quality and the engagement level of your writing.

Read: 15 SEO copywriting tips that will certainly improve your search engine rankings

Copywriting is all about convincing your visitors into performing the action that you want them to perform once they are on your website or blog.

Although, you are mostly writing content for your website or blog, many people prefer to call this form of writing as copywriting because you are constantly selling something whether it is the idea of downloading your e-book or further exploring your web pages or submitting your contact form or subscribing to your email updates.

When you also add the aspect of SEO (search engine optimization) it means using words, phrases and expressions that give Google and other search engines the exact idea of what you are communicating or what information you are providing to your visitors when they visit that particular link.

Read: Importance of keyword research before writing content

It then helps the search engines rank your content for those particular words and expressions (what you call keywords).

Using SEO copywriting to get relevant traffic

As mentioned above, relevant traffic means getting traffic that converts. Relevant traffic should increase your sales.

There are many ways you can use SEO copywriting to get relevant traffic to your website or blog.

Use highly focused content for better SEO

The above Copyblogger post suggests that you aim for a “minimum viable audience”. This immediately rings a bell.

Just today I was explaining to a client (mobile app development) that one single blog post shouldn’t try to contain all possible keywords and search terms for better SEO copywriting.

Instead, focus on solving one single problem and then provide a solution.

I know, in the times of longform content it is often suggested that comprehensive blog posts must be created that cover every possible topic related to the main, big topic.

Though, there is nothing wrong in doing that, but as much as possible, don’t dilute your content.

According to recent Google updates, it is not the length of your content that improves your SEO, but the relevance, the value that you provide.

Also, it is not possible for everyone to create 3000+ word blog posts with regularity.

Instead, focus on as narrow a niche as possible.

Don’t overlook location-based SEO copywriting

Suppose you provide accounting services in London. It’s no use optimizing your copywriting for keywords like “accounting services”, “bookkeeping services” and “accountant services” because these are highly competitive terms.

You have a better chance of ranking well if you concentrate on writing content for terms like “accounting services in London” and “bookkeeping services in London”.

Want to narrow down more?

Suppose you mostly serve clients in Notting Hill. Then why not focus on “accounting services in Notting Hill”?

If you can create lots of web pages and blog posts on how well received your accounting services are in Notting Hill, you will surely get relevant traffic and generate more local business.

Aim for less competitive keywords

A bit old advice, but still relevant.

High-competition keywords can take you ages especially when scores of websites and blogs are already ranking well for them. They must have toiled for months and even years to reach that position and you will need to do the same (or wait for a stroke of luck).

On the other hand, make a list of less competitive keywords, what they call “low hanging fruits”.

You may think that you will get less traffic for those less competitive keywords, but at least there will be some traffic in the foreseeable future. It is better than having no traffic.

Follow time-tested SEO conventions during copywriting

An increasing number of Google updates focus less on the language that you use and more on the intent with which you write and publish content. Nonetheless, the words that you use still matter.

Hence, use your main keyword within the first 100 words of your write-up. The logic is that sometimes the search engine crawler leaves your website without reading further. This is why, it is very important to hit upon the main topic as early as possible so that the crawler doesn’t miss the main point.

Aside from this, use your main keyword in the title of your web page or blog post and if possible, let your keyword appear in your URL.

It is understandable that you get a high when Google Analytics shows a rising graph of your search engine traffic. But unless that traffic increases your business, it is of no use.

This is why, when SEO copywriting, don’t focus on generating traffic, focus on getting relevant traffic.

Difference between demand generation and lead generation and how it affects your online copywriting

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Demand generation, lead generation and online copywriting

Demand generation, lead generation and online copywriting

The end result of online copywriting can be very delicate.

It’s like, when you are launching a space probe, even a difference of 0.00003 degree can send your space probe millions of kilometers away from its target.

Small words can make a big difference.

The purpose of your online copywriting is to get the right people to your website or blog.

These people should convert and buy from you, become your customers or your clients.

If, instead of attracting visitors who want to become your paying customers and clients, you are constantly attracting people who want to learn so that they can do on their own what you do professionally, you are not going to get any business.

Again, if I want to attract businesses looking for premium online copywriting services but instead, I attract businesses and individuals who are looking for cheap copywriting services, my targeting is skewed.

Anyway, I’m digressing from the main topic: Difference between demand generation and lead generation and how, knowing the difference, affects your online copywriting.

What is lead generation?

You generate a lead when someone gives you his or her email ID or phone number so that you can keep in touch and preferably, make a business proposition.

Now, when I say someone giving you his or her email ID or phone number, it doesn’t mean any person and for any reason under the sun.

If you give me your email ID or your phone number knowing that I will be promoting my online copywriting services to you and in near future, you may be interested in hiring me, you are a lead for me.

Even if you don’t want to hire me in the foreseeable future but think that somewhere down the line you may need my services and hence you would like me to keep in touch with you, you are a lead.

So, someone who shows interest in your business (knows what your business is) and gives you his or her contact information so that you can keep in touch (about your business) that person is your lead.

What is demand generation?

Different sources have different meaning for demand generation, but what it basically means is, letting people know what you can do for them and what is the benefit of doing business with you.

The demand can be generated in two ways: (1) recognizing an existing gap and filling it, and making people aware of what you have to offer them; (2) making people who know that they need your services but are not aware of your existence, aware of your existence.

When Steve jobs came up with the design of the first iPhone almost everyone scoffed at the idea of a mobile phone without physical buttons.

Now we will scoff at the idea of a mobile phone with physical buttons.

He generated a demand for mobile phones that didn’t have physical buttons, even when people didn’t know that such mobile phones were possible.

Hence, to generate demand, you raise awareness about what you can do.

To promote my online copywriting services, I need to constantly educate people on why quality copywriting is necessary for their websites and blogs and what they are missing if they are not working with a professional online copywriter.

Online copywriting for generating leads

As mentioned above, generating leads means encouraging people to give you their contact information so that you can keep in touch with them and present to them your business proposition.

How do you achieve that through online copywriting?

To understand this, you need to understand why would people give the information to you?

When they trust you.

When they value your advice.

When they trust your knowledge.

I don’t believe in offering people something in lieu of their contact information.

This is why, I’m not comfortable with the idea of offering your prospective leads an e-book or another lucrative offers so that they leave their email ID or their phone number to you.

I would rather offer them valuable content through my blog and website and then leave it up to them whether they want to keep in touch or not.

But then, it depends on your audience. Just the fact that they are ready to give you their email ID to be able to download your e-book means that they value that e-book written and published by you.

Anyway, to generate leads, you need to create a positive presence on the web.

People must feel confident enough to leave their email ID and your phone number with you.

They should feel moved enough to call you or fill up your contact form.

Whether you want to achieve it through quality content writing or through one-off offer of an e-book or a white paper, depends on your marketing strategy.

Online copywriting for demand generation

To generate demand, you need to make people aware of the benefits of your product or service.

Why would you hire my online copywriting services?

You want to improve your SEO.

You want to engage your visitors in positive conversations.

You want to improve your conversion rate.

Hence you are looking for an online copywriting service you can count on.

But for that, you need to know an online copywriting service can deliver you these services.

What if you don’t know that you need these services to run a successful online business?

Then my job is to make you aware.

I need to tell you why search engine traffic is important for your business.

I need to explain to you why engagement is important.

I need to demonstrate how targeted search engine traffic coupled with engagement, can improve your conversion rate.

When I make you aware, I generate demand for my service.

So, basically, both for lead generation and demand generation, you need to make a connection.

The difference is, demand generation is an ongoing awareness campaign whereas lead generation is a consequence of that campaign.

10 copywriting tips to boost your website conversion rate

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The image shows a notepad with copywriting tips for better conversion rate written on it

Copywriting tips for better conversion rate


In this blog post you will read a few copywriting tips that will help you boost your website conversion rate.

Although I constantly promote myself as a website content writer, when I’m writing for a business website, especially the main pages like the homepage, the services page, the product features page or the about us section, I’m doing copywriting.

Content writing is educational and informative, copywriting is promotional and persuasive.

A long time back I published a web page explaining the difference between copywriting and content writing.

Content writing doesn’t always have to sell, but copywriting is all about selling and hence, conversion rate is very important when it comes to copywriting.

Aside from your main business website content, copywriting is also used for

  • Landing pages
  • Email marketing
  • PPC campaigns
  • Social media advertising
  • Brochures and flyers
  • Promotional video and audio scripts

When you hire a professional copywriter, you want to boost your website conversion rate. You want more people to buy from you or use your services or download your software or e-book or mobile app.

Basically, you want them to click the “call to action” link or button.

How do you make people do that?

This is where my copywriting tips can help you. Even if you yourself don’t want to use these tips, you will be able to glimpse them in the writings of your copywriter and you will feel empowered and involved.

There is nothing magical about copywriting. It is simply convincing and engaging writing, written in a manner that your target audience is impressed by your message and agrees to take the action you want it to take.

Here are 10 copywriting tips that will boost your website conversion rate.

Copywriting tip 1: Have a clear idea of what your audience is looking for

This is one of the most important copywriting tips and without knowing what your audience is looking for, you cannot improve your conversion rate.

Conversion happens when you are providing exactly what your prospective customers and clients are looking for.

Whether they want to update themselves regularly, or educate themselves about a certain product or service or want to make up their minds, you need to create your copy accordingly, and only then your conversion rate improves.

Good copywriting also involves using the language that your audience uses. If your language is totally alien, they don’t understand what you are saying and they leave your webpage or landing page, frustrated and confused.

So,

  1. Write about what your audience is looking for.
  2. Write in the language your audience uses.

Having a persona also helps you understand the expectations of your visitors. You cannot please everyone. So, decide in advance whom you’re going to please. Define a persona. A persona has

  • The gender of your target person.
  • His or her age.
  • His or her social status.
  • His or her job title and industry.
  • Marital status.
  • Location.
  • Whether he or she has kids are not.

These are general traits.

If you are writing copy for a fashion accessory, then it will help you to know the fashion preferences of your persona.

Copywriting tip 2: Use conversational language

Stiff, official-sounding language doesn’t sell well. Use a conversational style when copywriting. Preferably, use first person. Use lots of “you” and “your”.

Talk like a person. Talk as if the other person is sitting in front of you and you are convincing him or her to do something. Use imaginary body language because it reflects through your copy and make sure copy sound natural. You can also imagine a scene from a movie where two characters are talking to each other.

Copywriting tip 3: Come to the point, don’t beat around the bush

Tell straight up what you have to offer.

If you are offering an SEO package, tell the person immediately how you’re going to improve his or her search engine rankings.

Mention the problem, then mention the solution.

Life is full of distractions these days. Even small things can distract people away from your landing page or website.

Hence, deliver your important message as early in the copy as possible.

Copywriting tip 4: Respond to common objections in advance

Frankly, there can be thousands of objections your target audience may have and hence, it is important to define a persona, as described above, and then stick to that persona. This way, you will know the common objections the person may have when going through your copy.

For my target audience, for example, I’m not looking for people who are more interested in getting cheap copywriting services and less interested in improving their conversion rate.

Although cost matters, I’m targeting people for whom cost is not the deciding factor but how well my copy converts.

So, people belonging to my target segment may have a question like, “But, is your copywriting service really effective and will it help me improve my website conversion rate?”

I need to convince them. I need to provide proof. I need to provide testimonials. Through the copy, I need to convince them that I’m the copywriter they are looking for.

Copywriting tip 5: Use numbers instead of claims

“I can double your conversion rate in 8 weeks” is far convincing than “I can improve your conversion rate fast”.

“My clients have experienced 300% improvement in their conversion rate after using my copywriting services for 5 months” is better than “Improve your conversion rate with my copywriting services”.

Numbers give your target audience a clear idea. Whether you are mentioning a price of a product or service or the amount of improvement it can bring in, use numbers to give them a clear idea of what they will get.

Copywriting tip 6: Use shorter, crisper sentences

Shorter sentences are easier to read and easier to understand. They focus on a single thought and that’s it. After being exposed to that single thought, the person can move on.

“A $105 flat fee, no hidden cost.”

“Buy it once, you don’t have to buy it again.”

Life these days is full of distractions. People don’t get distracted when they read short sentences. Short sentences are also powerful and make a big impact.

Most powerful statements have fewer words. Take for example what Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” – simple, to the point, says what it means to say.

Copywriting tip 7: Hit the emotional chords

By the end of the day, selling is emotional. We buy less for utility value, more for emotions. As the insane success of the iPhone tells you, people buy for experience and not just for the utility value (provided, they can afford).

This Harvard Business School research says that 95% of purchase decisions are made in the subconscious mind.

You can hit the emotional chords many ways.

Take for example, “Join the elite club of billionaires who make millions every month using these copywriting tips.”

Although, the line talks about making money, it reaches out to people who would like to join the elite club of billionaires.

Another one, “Never worry about putting food on the table – the sure shot way of making money.”

Everybody wants to make money, but, the need to put food on the table can move anyone.

“Make your ex regret the moment he decided to leave you,” can be a great weight loss slogan if making your ex feel bad is more important than being fit.

Emotions are great motivators.

Copywriting tip 8: Sell the benefits, not the product

What is the benefit of good copywriting? It gets you more customers and clients. So, what is the benefit? Getting more customers and clients.

People don’t want to buy your product or subscribe to your service just because you are providing it.

Something is troubling them. Something is missing in their lives. Something is holding them back from achieving their best. Something doesn’t let them sleep.

Take for example a to-do list.

“This is one to-do list that never lets you miss the important things you need to do.”

“The mobile phone app that lets you get your life back on track.”

Nifty features are great to have, and they certainly help people, and this is why you have incorporated them in the first place, but people aren’t really bothered about them unless they have started using your mobile app.

What is the greatest, irresistible benefit of downloading and installing your app? Begin your copy with that.

Copywriting tip 9: Never underestimate the importance of a headline

Headline is what that catches your fancy.

When you come across a headline on Facebook or Twitter, how it beckons you decides whether you are going to click it or not. This is the power of headlines.

A headline is bigger. It attracts the attention of your visitors immediately because the headline is not just bigger, it is also at the top. The size and place says, “Look at me before you look at something else.”

Most people will stay or leave your landing page based on what you have written in your headline.

If you want to make a promise, if you want to highlight the most important benefit of your product, if you want to deliver the most hard-hitting USP, use it in your headline.

Copywriting tip 10: Become your reader’s advocate

Become your customer’s or client’s advocate through your copy.

Although deep within you want them to spend money on your business, basically, what you have is their good in your heart.

Your product or service has the ability to transform their lives.

Your product or service can herald a positive change.

Your prospective customer or client has a problem, and you have got the right solution.

You have totally understood his or her problem and now you want to offer a solution.

Throughout your copy, you fight for the benefit of your customers and clients. This is how you write effective copy.

Conclusion

There is no hard and fast rule in copywriting: you just need to put the interest of your customers and clients first before your own. You need to connect. You need to tell them a story they can relate to. You talk in their language. You become one of them.

10 SEO Content Writing Tips for Your Small Business

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10-SEO-content-writing-tips-for-small-businessDo you know that being a small business SEO content writing can easily be the strongest tool available to you? Some tips listed on this blog post can help you to great extent. Remember that these tips are not written in stone and every business may have its own unique requirements. But they can get you started in the right direction.

Content writing for SEO can cut down your advertising and marketing costs. It can significantly improve your search engine rankings. It can increase your business without increasing your costs. It can make people trust you more.

What is the difference between SEO content writing and normal content writing?

In terms of creating high-quality content for your website or blog, there isn’t much difference as far as the list of tips goes. Well-written, relevant content is automatically search engine optimized. Search engines like Google love quality content that solves people’s problems. Just the fact that you are publishing lots of content that solves people’s problems, can significantly improve your search engine rankings.

typical-seo-process

Other than that, the fundamental difference between SEO content writing and normal content writing is, you take search engine guidelines into account when creating search engine optimized content so that it becomes easier for search engine crawlers and ranking algorithms to access your content, process it, and then rank it for related keywords and search terms.

You can write high quality content without caring about search engine guidelines. Although your content will be good and once people can access your content and your content may even be able to convert visitors into buyers and customers, you won’t be able to get good search engine traffic, especially if there is lots of competition.

So, normal content is good content, and SEO content is content that is good but is also search engine optimized.

Why SEO content can work wonders for your small business?

As a serious small-business you might be spending lots of money on advertising. If you seek traffic from search engines you must be bidding on different keywords using AdWords. This can be very expensive for your small business.

In AdWords, you may have to pay $2-3 per click for your main keywords. And the problem sometimes is, your main keywords may not even get you much business compared to your secondary or longtail keywords. Still, you spend money on non-performing keywords simply because you want to see traffic to your website.

Looking for an SEO content writing for small business?

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SEO content writing can increase search engine rankings of your small business website organically. Once your search engine rankings improve organically by diligently following these tips, you start getting traffic from search engines without having to pay for every click. Once you have gotten one of your links featured in the top 10 results on Google, whether you get 10 clicks or 10,000 clicks, it’s all free.

The good thing about organic search results is that people prefer to click organic results rather than advertisements. So even in terms of getting more traffic from search engines, organic listings are much better than paid listings.

But how do you make sure that your small business website or blog gets good search engine rankings through your writing?

Listed below are 10 SEO content writing tips for your small business that will increase your search engine rankings, and also improve your conversion rate.

1. Do keyword research before writing content

What keywords do people use to find your website or your content? What search terms do they use? This is one of the most important tips.

You can make a list of keywords and search terms using common sense and little bit of research. You can also use paid and free tools to do keyword research.

One of the most widely used free keyword research tools is the Google AdWords keyword research tool. Although most of its suggestions are intended to encourage you to bid on as many keywords as possible and hence, the suggestions are not as accurate as they should be, it gives you a good beginning, and lots of ideas.

Even if you don’t want to use any tool, do a broad search and then scroll down to suggested searches on Google. This tells you what search terms people are using that are related to your main search term.

2. Start writing SEO content around the keywords you have finalized

Remember that the most important aspect that Google considers for ranking is the quality of your content. No amount of SEO content writing is going to help you if you don’t have quality content on your website. If it is difficult for you to create compelling content using your keywords, in the beginning, just focus on the quality aspect.

Just make sure that the keywords or search term you are targeting appear, most preferably, in the beginning of your web page or blog title. After that, let your creative juices flow.

Once you are satisfied and you feel you have written whatever you wanted to write, start incorporating your keywords. Ideally, if you’re focusing on the core topic, most probably you will automatically end up using your keywords. If not, you will have to creatively incorporate them. Don’t overdo it. Your total number of words to your keywords ratio should be around 3-4%. Overuse of your keywords can get you penalized.

If you use WordPress for managing your website and blog, there is a good add-on called SEOPressor. It gives your content an “SEO rating” and if you are over optimizing – over using your keywords – it lets you know.

Having said that, it doesn’t actually matter how many times you use your keywords as long as you contextually use them. Just don’t overuse them.

3. Create a compelling title for your web page or blog post

Remember that it’s your web page title or blog post title that initially draws people to your website or blog. In the search engine listings, it is your title that appears as hyperlink. In fact, one of the biggest reasons why you should use your keywords in your title is because when people see the keywords they have just used in the title, they tend to click the link more. Even when you share your link using your social networking profiles, it’s your title that appears as the main hyperlink. People will come to your website after you title grabs their attention. Consequently, coming up with keyword-rich compelling titles is a big part of effective SEO content writing.

4. Also focus on longtail keywords

When writing SEO content, don’t ignore your longtail keywords. In fact, you should create dedicated webpages and blog posts dealing with your prominent longtail keywords. But even on your present piece of content, use a mix of your primary keyword and longtail keywords. This will prevent you from over using your main keywords.

It is also recommended that you use LSI keywords. LSI stands for “latent semantic indexing”. In terms of SEO content writing, it means using alternatives to your main keywords. You can use synonyms. You can use alternative expressions.

Read How does incorporating keywords increase your search engine traffic.

5. Mostly focus on providing answers to questions

provide-answers-to-questionsWhen using search engines, people don’t use specific keywords. They normally type questions (or say, if they use voice search). So, provide answers to these questions. Make a list of all possible questions your prospective customers and clients may ask before doing business with you and then publish all the answers using questions as titles.

6. Use conversational style in your SEO writing

use-conversational-style-when-writingPeople don’t use novelish language while surfing the web. They use very common, conversational words. A good example: when people are searching for “bananas” they don’t search for “an elongated yellow fruit”.

Even when they are searching, they use very common words pertaining to your business. You should also avoid using jargon because whereas jargon may make you look cool, it may lose you customers.

You can use a tool like Hemingway Editor to grade your writing. It says that content writing with grade 6-8 is better and gets you good search engine rankings. “Grade” here means, writing with grade 6 can be easily read by a 6th grader.

7. Use a well-defined structure

Use a well-defined structure means using headlines and sub-headlines wherever needed. Organize your thoughts in bullet points. Use quotes wherever necessary. Write simpler sentences and smaller paragraphs. Link to inner pages with appropriate anchor text. Use bold type a few times to highlight your main expressions. Stick to a particular length.

8. Use images to graphically convey your feelings

Long streams of text seem to bore people no matter how informative your text is. Insert images at crucial points. They act as a welcome distraction. They also help people refocus. Don’t use totally unrelated images. If you are comfortable using an image editing tool, create a mix of graphics and text.

9. Focus on something unique when writing SEO content

The more generic your content is, the harder is the competition it faces. Narrow down your targeting as much as possible. Search engine optimization for the search term that isn’t being used by many is much easier.

Also, focusing on something unique will help you avoid writing duplicate content which can attract penalty from Google.

Even if it is not possible to offer something totally unique, address a very unique perspective of your product or service and write about that.

10. Keep optimizing your existing content

SEO content writing doesn’t just mean continuously publishing fresh content. You also need to take care of your existing content. Over the years your website or blog must have collected a ton of content. If this content remains unattended, all that effort goes waste.

Make a list of all the URLs that contain marketable content on your website. Check their search engine rankings for the targeted keywords. If over the weeks, months and years their rankings haven’t improved, start rewriting the content from SEO perspective.

Maybe you used some bad practices like needlessly using your keywords and search terms, and you would like to remove them. Maybe over optimized your content in enthusiasm. Maybe you created thin content.

It is a time-consuming activity, but go through every link, check its rankings, and if it doesn’t rank well, rewrite it.

Concluding remarks

Credible-Content-SEO-content-writing-copywriting-services

I personally know a client who has cut down his advertising budget by 70% ever since he started relying more on SEO content and less on advertisements.

A good thing about SEO content is that sometimes the same web page begins to get ranked higher for multiple keywords or keyword combinations. If you use AdWords, you have to pay for every combination, but not for a link that ranks higher organically.

Yes, more effort is required. Content writing for SEO take some time to show results, especially when you have lots of competition. But the rewards are great. You get more targeted traffic. Your marketing cost comes down significantly. Your conversion rate improves. Your brand value improves because people begin to find quality content on your website.

Want to know how you can improve your search engine rankings as well as conversion rate of your small business website through targeted SEO content writing?

These Copywriting Tips Can Drastically Improve Your Conversion Rate

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copywriting-tips-to-improve-your-conversion-rate

Being a writer before being a content writer, my every piece of writing has an ample sprinkling of copywriting. Wondering what’s the difference between content writing and copywriting? Read: Difference between copywriting and content writing.

Now that I’m writing this, it comes to my mind that for a very long time, in fact, since years, I have not shared any tips on copywriting. There was a time when copywriting used to be one of my main services and I even used to rank quite well for “freelance copywriter”. Then I got distracted and my focus shifted to other activities.

In the coming days I will be refocusing on copywriting, especially sharing my insights and tips to help you improve your conversion rate.

Copywriting, as you will be able to read in the above-linked blog post, has more to do with selling. Through copywriting you are constantly trying to convince your visitors to do business with you.

With content writing you inform and engage, but it’s with copywriting that you eventually turn casual visitors into paying customers and clients.

Here is a good example of copywriting explained by Brian Clark of Copyblogger Media: The Greatest Sales Letter of All Time.

The above-mentioned sales letter was written for The Wall Street Journal and it has generated an estimated revenue of $2 billion for the publication. This timeless template is repeatedly used by advertising agencies to create a contrast between people who do and people who don’t.

Why knowing some copywriting tips is important for improving your website conversion rate

As I have explained multiple times on my website and blog, you need to convince your customers and clients. They are not just going to do business with you simply because you have a website and you have your products and services listed.

Copywriting convinces them. In fact, although, content writing improves your conversion rate in the long run, it’s copywriting that tips the balance in your favour and improves your conversion rate in the short-term, in a sense of immediacy.

Although all my clients hire me as a content writer (it’s because I promote myself as a content writer), aside from giving them great content, they also want my content to convince their customers and clients.

Intentionally or unintentionally, they overlook the fact that basically they are asking for copywriting (so, I should be charging more). Anyway, that’s another issue.

Are there well-defined copywriting tips that definitely improve your conversion rate?

No, there are not. Tips and rules are never written in stone, especially where human psychology is involved. The same applies to copywriting tips. Your conversion rate may improve by applying some totally unorthodox copywriting tactics that no one has ever come across.

Tips and tools give you a template. They are often a list of dos and don’ts that you can keep in front of yourself so that you don’t miss the important stuff and you don’t include the needless stuff. Even small things can totally screw up your copywriting and send people away from your website. It’s always better to know what works and what doesn’t and what has worked wonders in previous campaigns.

The biggest challenge you face when creating copy is keeping people on your website and getting their attention for as long as possible.

In his recent detailed blog post on copywriting (his which blog post isn’t detailed?), Neil Patel presents and explains 6 copywriting tips that can help you improve your conversion rate drastically.

A video accompanies the blog post. In the video Neil touches upon various aspects of copywriting that hook people to your website and encourages them to do business with you.

Although more than turning your visitors into customers he talks about keeping them on your website for as long as possible, in the long run it is more or less the same thing. The longer people stay on your website, the greater are the chances that they will buy from you.

I’m presenting below the gist of his copywriting tips that will not only make people stay longer on your website but may also help you improve your conversion rate. These tips and rules are not written in stone and they may vary from business to business, most of the advice is quite fundamental and you can easily use it on your website.

Answer all possible questions through your copywriting

Why won’t people buy from you? Either they don’t want to buy right now or they’re not convinced that they should buy from you.

If they don’t want to buy right now, maybe it’s not the right time for them or they are not aware enough about your offer and what difference it can make to their lives.

For people who are not yet ready to buy from you or are not aware enough to buy right now, your content writing can keep them informed and educate them. For that, encourage them to subscribe to your updates so that you can keep in touch.

Copywriting is for those who want to buy, who know that there is a need, who also know what a difference this particular product or service can make, but they are undecided about buying from you.

It’s the job of your copywriting to answer all their questions, the “why’s” that stop them from buying from you.

need-high-conversion-sales-copy-for-your-business

Give them something to compare, something to contrast

Refer to the above The Wall Street Journal sales letter example. It compares two individuals: it presents a contrast between someone who reads WSJ and someone who doesn’t. In the letter, you can make out who benefits and who doesn’t, by a single decision.

In your sales copy you can also create a contrast: what happens if the visitor doesn’t buy from you and what happens if he or she does.

The standard formula works always… a person is facing a problem and you are offering an irresistible solution.

Back your solution with facts. Don’t just make wild claims. Give some proofs. Use some hard numbers.

Neil refers to the “4 Ps” of copywriting:

Problem, Promise, Proof, Proposal.

Make your copywriting compelling by the power of words

Being a writer, I know the power of words. Words can trigger revolutions. Words can change destinies.

There is a reason why some seasoned copywriters charge thousands of dollars for a single copy.

The message is very important, but how you deliver the message is important too.

Neil in his post cites a Winston Churchill speech but since I’m not a big Churchill fan, I will cite my own example, from my homepage. I’m citing it because recently a client copy/pasted this portion that sold my content writing services to him:

As an experienced freelance content writer who has been providing content writing services for many years, I know that content writing is not about selling your product or service.

It’s about selling the overwhelming benefits.

It’s about catering to the deepest desires of your customers and clients.

It’s about establishing trust and credibility.

It’s about using words that change the way people value you.

And selling? Well, it’s a natural by-product of effective copywriting.

Again, words can be really powerful. Even the words that you constantly send to the universe can have an impact on your life. You should always be careful of what words you say about yourself and about others.

Don’t follow a copywriting template when it comes to the length of your web page

Length isn’t important, the message is.

Have you seen some landing pages that just go on and on without saying anything important? This is a sure shot way of sending people away.

If you have something, say it. If you don’t have something, say that too. Don’t waste people’s time.

If you have lots of interesting information to share with your readers, they will definitely go on reading. But if you are just beating around the bush simply to make your copy long, you will just have a long copy and nothing else.

The most important part of your copywriting is messaging. What you want to say.

Need more words to convince people because you have plenty of compelling examples? Go on writing.

If you feel that you have said enough and nothing more should be said, then stop.

There is no set formula for the length of your copy. It depends on your message. It depends on your style. It also depends on the level of convincing your prospective customers and clients require.

For a further analysis of how strategic copywriting can drastically improve your conversion rate, you can go and read Neil’s post (linked above); he has also given many examples.

Looking for more copywriting tips that can help you improve your conversion rate? There is a bar below. Submit your email ID to keep in touch because I will be posting highly useful information on copywriting, content writing and content marketing in the coming days.