The Art of Writing Persuasive Copy

The Art of Writing Persuasive Copy

12/15/2013 12:30:00 pm
By Jo Dorell
Expert Author Jo Dorell
Web copy serves two main functions, to promote and to inform. When writing web copy, many make the mistake of thinking that web users will ponder carefully over their words, whilst the reality is that readers scan content, looking for 'bits' that are of interest and relevance to them. Within seconds, users will make up their mind if the web page contains the information they are after or to if they need to move on and look elsewhere.
Just as we wouldn't send a customer who has just walked into our shop, to the competitor across the road, similarly, the content on our website needs to be relevant and grab the reader's attention before they decide to click the back button.
Copy that is written to sell products needs to be persuasive, appeal to the reader's senses and use words and phrases that would be familiar to the target audience. Here are a few tips for writing copy that will prompt readers to respond and take some form of action.
Tell a story
Telling a story or anecdote relating to your products or service is a great way to capture the attention of readers. This concept is well known in NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) which identifies storytelling as a powerful technique when it comes to influencing and leading people to take the desired action.
Use imperative statements
When writing calls to action, imperative phrases and statements are very effective. They denote action and have a sense of urgency about them. 'Order yours now', 'Get a free quote', 'Claim your free token' and other similar examples, are clear directives aimed at the site visitor who will upon reading them immediately understand what type of action is expected of them. Ambiguous statements or play on words will always seem like too much hard work for web users so best to keep it short and simple.
Emphasize benefits rather than characteristics
Many websites make the mistake of offering product descriptions that merely outline the characteristics of their products or services. If emphasis is placed on the benefits, the potential customer would have if they purchased a particular item or used one of the services, it would provide the necessary nudge towards conversion. If for example, we were writing about the advantages of opening an online bank account, we could write something like this, ' Enjoy the convenience of managing your account from the comfort of your armchair with our e-saver.'
Appeal to the senses
Just like images, certain words can act as a stimulus, inspiring particular feelings amongst readers. When promoting products, we want to make the customers imagine how they would feel using them, so words such as 'savour', 'indulge', 'explore', 'experience', can be used to achieve that. Emotions are known to influence consumer behaviour which is why copywriters often use so called trigger words that will prompt the readers to feel a certain way about the products and services they are describing.

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