Getting a higher response from your online copywriting.
Online copywriting is when you write content for websites, blogs, social media, emails, and other digital platforms.
Just like in conventional copywriting you persuade people. You highlight the benefits and features of a product or a service.
All rules of conventional copywriting apply on online copywriting with an addition that you write in a manner that it’s easier to read on digital devices.
Another purpose of online copywriting is to help you increase your search engine rankings in a holistic manner.
Read: SEO copywriting services.
Listed below are some features of online copywriting that distinguish it from conventional copywriting:
- Web-Friendly Formatting: Utilizes shorter paragraphs, bullet points, subheadings, and bold text to enhance readability on digital platforms.
- SEO Integration: Web writing involves incorporating relevant keywords and optimizing content for search engines to improve visibility and organic traffic.
- Hyperlinking: Includes embedded hyperlinks to provide additional information, direct readers to related content, or guide them to desired actions.
- Interactive Elements: May incorporate interactive elements like clickable buttons, forms, and multimedia to engage and guide users.
- Social Media Integration: Considers the shareability and social media presence of content, enabling easy sharing and integration with social platforms.
- Call-to-Action Emphasis: Places strong emphasis on clear and compelling calls-to-action to prompt readers to take specific actions.
- Tracking and Analytics: Utilizes tools like Google Analytics to measure user engagement, conversion rates, and other metrics for continuous improvement.
- Personalization: Leverages user data and segmentation to deliver personalized content and create a more tailored experience.
- Mobile Optimization: Considers the mobile experience, ensuring that content is responsive, loads quickly, and is easily readable on mobile devices.
- Rapid Content Updates: Allows for quick and easy updates to keep content fresh, relevant, and in line with evolving trends and user needs.
Online copywriting: Preferring benefits over features
Online copywriting papers benefits over features.
Recently I was flipping through a current affairs magazine and there on one of the pages I noticed an ad of a car.
It is a well known brand.
Although the copy waxed eloquent about the design team and the superb technology used, not even one word was used to tell me why I should buy the car.
It talked about dreams, it talked about “reaching there”, it talked about the feeling of elegance you get when you drive it, and it talked about the fact of it being a masterpiece.
It didn’t at all tell me what mileage it gives me, how safe it is, how easy it is to get the servicing done, what’s the pickup or how easy it is to maneuver it.
This is bad copywriting, and print copywriting often hinges upon such kind of waywardness.
Online copywriting, on the other hand, is conversational, and hence, it generates higher response.
But it’s not that every work of online writing can do the trick and earn big bucks for the client companies.
Most copywriters, even on the Internet, try to apply the same offline print methodology and juggle with vague words instead of delivering the real message.
When I’m planning to buy something, I don’t want to know what a genius sample it is, I want to know whether it can do what I want it to do, and how well it can do it.
Effective online copywriting does two things as soon as possible:
- Highlight the benefits of the product
- Establish a conversation with the reader
An average surfer is in a hurry not because he or she has a small attention span, it is because there is so much choice and it is so easy to go to another website.
When I search on Google I open multiple links on different tabs to save time (instead of clicking the back button each time I want to go to the next link).
The same happens with your users.
There are constantly in a state of disturbance unless something really grabs their attention (for example, a Netflix series).
So grab the attention in the first line
Grab attention with online copywriting.
The first line of your copy can be the most important part of your entire online copywriting endeavor.
It’s called the hook.
On your web page or on your blog post, your headline is the hook.
On social media such as LinkedIn, the first sentence of your post is the hook.
It sets the tone.
Highlight your first line, and encapsulate the entire gist of your message there.
Your first line is the only chance you have got, so make the optimal use of it.
The first line of the page is usually the headline, and if the page doesn’t have many distractions (like animations and images), the headline is the first thing a visitor sees.
Use the headline tags (h1, h2, etc.) wherever possible in online copywriting
Organize your various sections under compelling headlines.
Once your headline has managed to grab the attention, you can rest assured that the following text is going to be read.
Talk in figures. For instance,
Memorize 150 phone numbers in just 5 minutes!
is far better a headline than
Improve you memory!
Use active voice
It’s like, instead of saying
This can be done.
you should say
You can do this.
Active voice has more action words, and it directly talks to the reader in terms of “you” and “I”.
If you say “Great photographs can be taken by this camera,” the reader might think that “Yes, great photographs can be taken, but not by me.”
On the other hand, if you say, “You can take great photographs with this camera,” you are directly telling the reader that he or she can take great photographs.
Here, there is a less chance of ambivalence.
Address the concerns of the readers, not your company
You can serve your business well by showing concern for the needs of your readers.
Convince them — sincerely — that you want to solve their problem.
Show them you have exactly the solution they need.
Don’t try to trick them, don’t try to sell them something they don’t want to buy or if they are unsure at the moment.
In fact a great trait of effective online copywriting is that it allays the fears and mitigates the doubts by clearly stating what the pros and cons of buying a particular product are.
It generates higher response is all about establishing trust between the two transacting parties.
You can only establish trust by delivering a sincere, unambiguous message.
Your copy shouldn’t merely deliver your company’s message, it should talk to your readers, and it should solve their problem.
Listed below are some benefits of working with an online copywriter for your business website.
- Get expertly crafted online content that grabs attention.
- Save time and effort by outsourcing your writing needs.
- Improve your website’s search engine rankings with optimized content.
- Engage your audience and increase website traffic.
- Benefit from a fresh perspective and creative ideas.
- Receive high-quality, error-free copy that enhances your brand image.
- Increase conversions and sales through persuasive online copywriting.
- Adapt quickly to changing market trends with agile content creation.
- Utilize a cost-effective solution compared to hiring a full-time copywriter.
- Access a wide range of writing styles tailored to your target audience.
- Enjoy seamless collaboration and efficient communication online.
- Tap into the expertise of a professional who understands digital marketing.
- Build credibility and trust with well-written, authoritative content.
- Stay ahead of your competition with compelling online copywriting.
- Scale your content production as your business grows.
- Streamline your content strategy and align it with your goals.
- Gain insights into your customers’ needs and preferences through tailored copy.
- Optimize your social media presence with engaging posts and captions.
- Enhance your email marketing campaigns with persuasive copy.
- Boost your brand’s online visibility and reach through effective online copywriting.
Some prominent FAQs on online copywriting
FAQs about online copywriting.
How long does it typically take to see results from online copywriting efforts?
The results can be immediate, or you can see them after a while.
For example, if you hire an online copywriter to work on your landing page and then you advertise that landing page using a PPC campaign, you can see the results immediately.
On the other hand, is a web writer, for example an SEO writer, to improve your search engine rankings, it may take a few months before your rankings begin to improve.
How does online copywriting differ from traditional copywriting?
Traditional copywriting is not done for the web. It is done for a static medium.
For example, a traditional copywriter may write for a magazine, a newspaper, a mail order campaign, or a brochure.
These items don’t come with a cornucopia of distractions.
Online copywriter on the other hand needs to deal with multiple distractions coming from the web and hence, they need to write accordingly to capture the attention of the audience.
What are the key elements of successful online copywriting?
- Catchy headlines: Create attention-grabbing titles that make readers want to click.
- Clear and concise language: Use simple words and avoid jargon to ensure easy comprehension.
- Compelling storytelling: Tell a captivating narrative to engage and connect with your audience.
- Benefit-oriented content: Focus on the value your product or service provides to the customers.
- Strong call-to-action: Use persuasive language to guide readers towards desired actions.
- Scannable formatting: Organize your content with headings, subheadings, and bullet points for easy skimming.
- Concise paragraphs: Break up text into short paragraphs to enhance readability.
- Use of power words: Incorporate impactful words that evoke emotion and create a sense of urgency.
- Authenticity and transparency: Build trust by being genuine and honest in your writing.
- Customer-centric approach: Understand your target audience and tailor your copy to their needs and desires.
- Benefit-driven headlines: Highlight the advantages or solutions your product offers.
- Active voice: Write in a way that gives a sense of action and vitality to your copy.
- Relevant keywords: Use relevant keywords strategically to improve search engine optimization.
- Use of testimonials: Include social proof from satisfied customers to enhance credibility.
- Proofreading and editing: Ensure your copy is error-free, well-structured, and easy to understand.
How can online copywriting improve my website performance?
Here are a few ways web writing can improve your website performance:
- Engages visitors with compelling content.
- Grabs attention and encourages visitors to stay on the website.
- Improves readability and comprehension.
- Enhances user experience by providing clear and concise information.
- Generates interest and curiosity in products or services.
- Increases conversion rates by using persuasive language.
- Builds trust and credibility through well-crafted messaging.
- Utilizes keywords to improve search engine optimization (SEO).
- Enhances brand awareness and recognition.
- Drives targeted traffic to the website.
- Optimizes content for social media sharing.
- Encourages visitors to take desired actions, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
- Reduces bounce rates by providing valuable and relevant content.
- Improves the overall navigation and flow of the website.
- Establishes a consistent brand voice and tone.
- Increases customer engagement and interaction.
What skills should an online copywriter have to write exceptional content for websites?
- Strong writing skills with a focus on clarity and brevity.
- Proficient in crafting compelling headlines.
- Ability to adapt writing style to match different target audiences.
- Knowledge of basic SEO principles to optimize content for search engines.
- Skill in conducting research to gather relevant information.
- Understanding of persuasive writing techniques.
- Familiarity with online marketing strategies.
- Ability to create engaging and concise product descriptions.
- Proficient in proofreading and editing for grammar and punctuation errors.
- Knowledge of content management systems for website publishing.
- Skill in writing effective calls-to-action.
- Ability to incorporate keywords seamlessly into content.
- Understanding of user experience (UX) principles.
- Proficient in crafting impactful and concise meta descriptions.
- Knowledge of social media platforms and their content requirements.
- Skill in creating informative and engaging blog posts.
- Familiarity with data analysis to assess content performance.
- Ability to write engaging email newsletters and marketing campaigns.
- Proficient in writing clear and concise website copy.
- Knowledge of headline writing techniques to increase click-through rates.
- Skill in storytelling to captivate and connect with the audience.
- Understanding of brand voice and tone guidelines.
- Proficient in writing persuasive landing page content.
- Knowledge of content formatting for improved readability.
- Skill in creating content that aligns with a brand’s values and mission.
- Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
List some businesses that can benefit from online copywriting services.
- E-commerce stores selling products or services online.
- Restaurants and food delivery services.
- Fitness and wellness professionals.
- Travel agencies and tour operators.
- Real estate agents and agencies.
- Marketing and advertising agencies.
- Health and beauty businesses.
- Event planning and management companies.
- Educational institutions and e-learning platforms.
- Nonprofit organizations and charities.
- Financial and insurance companies.
- Home improvement and renovation services.
- Fashion and apparel brands.
- Technology startups and software companies.
- Automotive dealerships and repair shops.
- Professional coaching and consulting services.
- Wedding planners and services.
- Pet care and veterinary clinics.
- Art and creative agencies.
- Online dating platforms.
For what all purposes online copywriting can be used?
- Blog posts to educate, inform, and engage readers.
- Landing pages to drive conversions and capture leads.
- Website pages to provide information about products, services, and the brand.
- Product descriptions to showcase features and benefits.
- Social media posts to promote content and engage with the audience.
- Email newsletters to communicate with subscribers and promote offers.
- Advertisements to attract attention and generate interest.
- Press releases to announce company news and events.
- Video scripts to convey messages and enhance storytelling.
- Whitepapers and case studies to provide in-depth analysis and insights.
- Brochures and pamphlets to provide offline marketing materials.
- Infographics to present complex information visually.
- E-books and guides to offer comprehensive resources to readers.
- Sales letters and direct mail campaigns to persuade and convert prospects.
- Podcast scripts to deliver valuable audio content.
- Presentations and slide decks to deliver engaging visual content.
