Professional copywriters have a few tricks up their sleeves. I should know – I’ve been writing wildly effective, personality-driven copy for fabulous clients since 2018. And today… I’m spilling the tea on 5 copywriting secrets that will take your copy to the next level – regardless of what you’re writing for your business.
Copywriting Secrets Revealed
#1 – Research is the key to great copy
It’s true! So much of a professional copywriter’s time is spent in the research phase. We’re talking about digging into: your industry, what makes you unique (aka your USP), what your competition is doing and talking about, the specific language your target audience is looking for, and all the important foundations of compelling copy that speaks to your audience.
There is SO MUCH research behind the best professional copy.
Want to write like a pro? Don’t start with putting words on the page. Start with research.
Start with these questions:
- What do my clients say they need?
- What words do my clients use when talking about my work? (check your testimonials and DMs for the answers)
- How is the process of working with me specifically efficient or unique?
- Are there any gaps in the market that my services, offers, or process fill?
- My competitor describes a similar service this way. How would I change it? What would I add?
#2 – The magic is in the editing
The best copy rarely starts that way.
Professional copywriters are ruthless editors, and their writing shows it.
If you want to write like a pro, you’ll want to learn how to edit like one.
Here’s how:
- Read everything you write out loud. This is the best way to hear when you get stuck, check to see if everything flows, and notice if you repeat yourself.
- Read short pieces of copy backwards to check for word choice and spelling – this makes you slow down and pay attention to every individual word so you don’t miss something small.
- Make a list of your most common “fluff” words – like so, very, well, much, that, etc. – and check for them once you’re done writing. 99% of those extra filler words can be deleted for more concise copy that still makes sense!
#3 – Good design makes your copy easier to read
If you’re writing on a website, make sure you break up your copy with headings, subheadings, and images.
If you’re writing an email, use frequent breaks to make your paragraphs short and less intimidating. Use italics and bold sparingly to make specific words or lines stand out.
If you’re writing a social media caption, use emojis like bullet points to list out your points and keep your sentences short.
No matter what you’re writing, remember more white space = more readable copy.
#4 – Google is your best friend
Copywriters don’t have magical lists of synonyms and phrases in our heads. We know how to use Google!
Okay, so a seasoned copywriter typically does a pretty great vocabulary… but we still look up “adjective that starts with b” when trying to use alliteration in a headline or “other words for awesome” when describing a new offer.
You should put the power of the internet – Google, ChatGPT, and the likes – to work for you!
#5 – Simple is best
If you pay attention, you’ll see that the best sales pages, websites, emails, and social media captions have one thing in common: They’re pretty simple and super easy to understand.
We often try to make things more complicated to “sound fancy,” when what works better is being direct and saying exactly what we mean.
Look at your copy. Are you using phrases like:
- In order to
- In my professional opinion
- To be clear
- You may be surprised to learn
Or other things that aren’t really needed?
Try taking a “simple and direct” pass at your copy. See if there’s a simpler way to say things or extra words you can get rid of.
Simple = clear, and clear makes more sales!
Alright, now you know the biggest secrets behind professional copy – now go use your new skills and strategies to write better copy, attract those dream clients, and make more sales!
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