What is a cliffhanger in copywriting?
A cliffhanger in copywriting is also called the “curiosity gap”.
You want your readers to read your entire copy, right?
Making them read the entire copy is important for call-to-action and conversion.
You want to keep them hooked.
You need to pique their interest.
They should quickly want to read what comes next.
What makes reading gripping? What do you call a page turner?
When the writer always keeps you on the edge.
Something is always just about to happen.
You must have seen cliffhangers in many Netflix series: the current episode ends at a drastic juncture, and you desperately want to know what happens next.
So, you watch the next episode instantly.
You can use cliffhangers similarly for writing copy that you want people to read till the end.
Why is it important for your readers to read your copy till the end?
You are building a narrative.
You want to inform, educate and motivate them enough so that they convert.
Your entire narrative builds towards your call-to-action.
If they lose interest midway, they will never respond to your call-to-action. They will never be motivated enough.
Therefore, it is important that you keep your readers hooked with the help of cliffhangers.
Build the suspense. Tantalize them. Hook them with incomplete sentences and opportune questions.
Here are some examples:
“He wasn’t sure if he could afford it, but then…”
“Just when he thought he had seen whatever could have been seen, something totally unexpected unfolded.”
“This app doesn’t just help you manage your tasks, it does much more than that. Want to know what?”
Don’t overdo, though. Use cliffhangers in copywriting strategically for maximum benefit.