How to create an efficient copywriting strategy to improve your conversion rates?

Copywriting is often misunderstood. Some people mix it up with copyrighting, others with content marketing, brand content or storytelling, but it is none of them. In a nutshell, copywriting is writing for the purpose of selling.

This practice can take various forms: whether it is online on emails, commercials, blogs, newsletters, social media posts or offline on billboards, catalogs, flyers, or newspapers, copywriters create content that is then used in advertising campaigns.  If that sounds easy, copywriting requires specific skills; it is not within everyone’s reach to do copywriting. Think about all the brands you know; how many slogans do you remember from them? 2? 5?

Copywriting is the art of writing good striking content to make someone act. Want to try? 

From idea to writing: how to create
an impactful copywriting strategy?

Between the decision of a customer to buy from your brand and the idea of the content you want to write, there is a world. Copywriting aims at making the user behave the way you want. Whether you want the user to sign up for your newsletter or buy from your ad, you have to be convincing. 

To do so, we advise you to follow the two following steps:

Step #1: Conceptualize your idea

When you decide to launch a new product or to make sales, the opportunity to make conversions is high. To attract as many customers as possible in your store or e-commerce, you need to raise people's awareness about your event, but above all, you have to attract them to drive them to your store. Copywriting is about making them act, but how? 

1. Brainstorm: who do you want to reach? Who is your target? How? What do they need?
   Identify your challenges and brief your team.
   
   
2. Gather information about your potential audience to know them as precisely as you can. To do so, get the information you need by asking them direct questions: what do you want? Why are you interested in our products/services? Their testimonies and their exclusive insights help you highlight your added value.
   
   
3. Think, try, write, rephrase: the process can be long, but it is crucial. At the time of conceptualization, you should try to put your customers’ words on your ideas and cut them down into one single sentence.
   
   All great slogans did not probably come in one go. It is hard to put the core message across one sentence, but it is worthwhile. 

Step #2: Write down your concept

Once you have identified the concept you want to put in the spotlight and the audience you want to reach, it is time to write.
Yes, as you imagine, copywriting is (also) about writing. Think about all the ads your audience goes through during the day. Ads are everywhere: on their way to work, on TV, on their phone, on their inbox… If you want to stand out:

• Be impactful: create a storyboard that sticks to your brand’s identity and that conveys the core message of your campaign. 
  
  
• Be understandable: that sounds logical, but still. Keep it simple and easy to catch. A CTA that is unclear is a CTA that will not convert any lead. What can you expect of a CTA reading “Click here” or “Download”? People will not take action if they are unsure of what they undertake to do. “Join our newsletter for free”, “Access our private sale” are true guidelines.  
  
  
• Be direct: address your readers directly. Use “you” and use verbs. You want to make people act? Tell them what they need to do.
  
  
• Be inspired by impactful slogans thought of by copywriters: “Just do it”, “Think different”, “Come as you are”, “Because I’m worth it”.

See, here is a good example of writing optimization. On this page of the Airbnb website, you can find a lot of best practices that we listed earlier, including: clear CTAs, the use of verbs and direct appeals to the readers, strong messages such as “I’m flexible”...

• Be persuasive: if your targeted audience hesitates to take action, it may be because you lack persuasion. Be clear on how much they will benefit from the action you invite them to take. What are the advantages? Which issue does the action solve for your customers? Use your customer’s verbatim by way of reinsurance assets.

3 formulas to improve the impact
of your copywriting

Now that you have copywriting’s takeaways in your bag, you may be interested in making the most of your copywriting’s efforts. There are 3 copywriting formulas that you should consider to enhance the effectiveness of your writing: 

The P.A.S

This formula gives you the path of processing you should follow: 

• Problem: find the problem you could solve by questioning your readers. 
• Agitate: once the problem is identified, let it mature. Customers have to become aware of their needs.
• Solution: provide the right solution at the right time. 

The 4Cs

To make your writings more efficient, follow the 4Cs rule, be:  

• Concise: 1 second is the average time spent per post on Facebook while scrolling. Write brief and convincing messages if you want to be read.  
  
  
• Clear: the 27th President of the USA, William Howard Taft once said "don't write so that you can be understood. Write so that you can't be misunderstood". The consequences of being misunderstood can directly affect your brand and your campaigns’ efficiency. Do not underestimate simplicity.
  
  
• Compelling: make your content worth reading.
  
  
• Credible: Give them figures, proofs. Convince them. Reassure them. Share verbatim of your client.  
  
  

The A.I.D.A

And last but not least... AIDA
To understand AIDA, something good to do is to put yourself in people's shoes for a while:

• Attention: I lack something, and of that, I am sure. I will search for solutions online and offline. I started to pay attention to existing brands that could help me. At this stage: you have to make your brand known. Write appealing content.
  
  
• Interest: I will take a closer look at the different solutions that exist on the market. At this stage: you have to stand out. Be the best solution among your competitors. Write efficient content that gives your audience all the information they need to know. 
  
  
• Desire: I want to know everything about this solution: how much does it cost? What does it provide? For how long? How can I test it? At this stage: you have to make yourself a guide. Answer the questions. Be clear and concise.
  
  
• Action: I have chosen a solution. Now, I will take action. At this stage: you have to be there for your customers. 

MORE efficiency for more conversionS

In the end, copywriting is about making your audience take action and help them along their buyer journey, providing them consistent content. Copywriting helps you increase organic traffic, transform your prospects into qualified leads, and boost your online sales. It is a powerful means to improve your conversion rates in the long term.

To put yourself in your customers’ shoes: question them. Then, you will be able to tailor your content to their needs. 

If you want to know more about copywriting, you can read on the process of continuous improvement of your copies which is called CRO copywriting in our article: 5 key benefits of combining CRO and copywriting. Want to know more about this specific topic? Contact our storytelling team, they'll be pleased to help you!