In copywriting, like most other fields, perfection is virtually an expected quality to possess—but since we all know humans aren’t perfect, there’s always room for error to occur. The trick is being equipped with the knowledge and tools that can lower the chances of such errors from emulating in your copy.
We’ve talked about how you can write amazing work and capture your reader’s attention, but we’ve yet to solely focus on those significant factors that can break your copy, sometimes, even to a detrimental point. The following are some things that could do just that to your work, so here’s how to stay away from having to deal with a future dilemma.
- Using Bland Headlines
You would think that the first two lines of your content’s body are the elements that will either keep your reader or get them running. Although this notion does possess ample merit, the highest level of significance when it comes to giving a reader a reason to keep reading actually starts with the title of your work.
The headline is everything in this fast-paced society. Like it or not, no one has time or is willing to put it towards spending energy reading something that doesn’t seem interesting enough. You can have killer content, but if your work’s headline lacks creativity, you might have to bid the reader farewell.
Writing generic headlines can work with some genres, including subjects that might not have been written about too much before. However, it’s recommended to stay away from cliché titles when you can and put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Knowing your target audience should be enough to get you started on choosing a headline that would work.
- Information Overload with No Structure
Now that you have your headline covered, it’s time to talk about the structure of your copy. In correspondence to keeping your headline relevant, be sure not to get caught in the trap of writing a load of text to fill up the space on a page—more commonly known as using “fluff.”
Also, writing a longer article, blog post, column, and so forth, without using different highlighting tools such as bolding and italicizing the text, largely affects the way your work is perceived. Your reader’s interest will dwindle if they don’t come across clean and straight-to-the-point writing.
Be sure to divide your content in an organized manner and even use bullet points when you can to stress the most important ideas. A great test would be to look over your work and see if it can be skimmed with ease. This will grow the likelihood of having your entire piece read.
- A Scattered Voice
In addition to keeping your copy structured with connected paragraphs and so forth, you need to make sure to choose one tone and stick to it. Using improper language won’t help you appeal to your audience, so look out for keeping your work reader-friendly.
For example, you don’t want to speak to your readers as if they’re your children, nor be condescending and use a tone that can be taken as offensive. Remember, that even in writing, it’s not what you say, but it’s the way you say it that makes a difference.
- Not Writing Enough About a Subject
Just like you can say too much, you can also say too little and leave the reader wondering and squirming around for an answer. You should certainly stay away from writing too much about something, but also from not saying enough so as to avoid such confusion.
Find the balance between having quality over quantity. Having very little information can actually greatly downplay a call to action, too, since a reader will ultimately feel like they’re not informed enough to make an educated decision.
- Forgetting to Edit the Final Copy
Lastly, don’t forget to edit your copy! This is a factor that will either raise or lower your credibility. Going back to the aforementioned statement about perfectionism, out of all of the above, proofreading your work is perhaps the most powerful tool in assuring that little to no errors are found in your work.
Check to see how your content is received each time, and make any changes if necessary, based on reader feedback. Yes, you should try to request feedback when you can. Whether it’s from your family, friends, or colleagues, get the opinion of several people before releasing your copy. This will help you get a better grasp on effectively communicating your thoughts.
Getting the Hang of It
A few things destined for making a lasting impression don’t take place over night, but practice does make perfect. So pack up these tips and you’ll be well on your way to being free from irreversible mistakes.
