Want to get better results from your web pages? Then you have to get the copy right. Whether you’re writing landing page copy or tweaking button text, sending the right message will increase conversions. That’s why a good copywriter is a great investment.
One way to improve as a copywriter is to learn from the best. Luckily, there’s plenty of expert writing advice around to help you do that. Here’s some advice from the experts on improving your writing.
[tweet_box design=”box_5″]How to Become a Better Copywriter by @SHurleyHall[/tweet_box]
1. Peep Laja
“Wake up and realize it’s not 1964 anymore. You can’t rehash that old stuff. Don’t use scandalous blog headlines on your business website if you want conversions. Talk and write like a real person.”
– Peep Laja, Writing Home Page Headlines For The Modern World (3 Formulas That Work), ConversionXL
2. Ray Edwards
“If you can just support the emotions that they’re feeling, and you can do it with integrity—you really do have the solution—then you don’t really ever have to sell hard, or even push to sell.”
– Ray Edwards, #60: Copywriting Tips to Persuade, Promote and Profit with Ray Edwards, Amy Porterfield
3. Art Anthony
“I believe writing copy for Mr. Spock is a recipe for success. If something is logical it is, by nature, persuasive.”
– Art Anthony, Write Your Copy For Mr. Spock (And Other Offbeat Copywriting Tips), Kissmetrics
4. Casey Meehan
“When you are looking directly to your swipe file for inspiration, don’t look for phrases to copy, or formulas to fill-in-the-blanks. Think about the psychology behind the copy.”
– Casey Meehan, Advanced Copywriting Tips: 5 Mental Mistakes That Can Doom Your PPC Ads, Epic Presence
5. Tania Cheema
“Nobody has the time or patience to read linear content. Instead of writing long indigestible blocks of text, make your content skimmable.”
– Tania Cheema, 5 Killer Web Copywriting Tips, Digital Doughnut
6. Martina Mercer
“If the average person needs a dictionary to translate your copy, you’ve lost multiple sales already.”
– Martina Mercer, 7 Copywriting Tips That Will Instantly Lower Your Bounce Rates, Moz
[tweet_box design=”box_7″]”If your reader needs a dictionary for your copy you have lost sales”- @martinamercer via @moz #copywriting[/tweet_box]
7. Hassan Ud-deen
“If your readers don’t make it past the first few sentences, they sure as hell ain’t making it to your call to action.”
– Hassan Ud-deen, 5 Subtle Yet Super Powerful Copywriting Tips, Unbounce
8. Will Newman
“Use words – all words – with an eye, ear, and nose for the odor of skunk. If you’re not sure how a reader will interpret or respond to a word … if it’s possibly confusing, ambiguous, or offensive … that’s your signal to look for a different way of saying it.”
– Will Newman, Copy “Skunk” Words to Avoid, AWAI
9. Gary Korisko
“The often overlooked subhead is really a stealthy and lethal ninja writing weapon just sitting there quietly waiting to be put to good use.”
– Gary Korisko, The Ultimate Guide to Writing Irresistible Subheads, Blog Boost Traffic
10. Joel Klettke
“The best marketing – and the best copy – is not about duping the reader into believing something, but about amplifying their need, alleviating their fear and exciting them to action.”
– Joel Klettke, Why Nobody Is Falling for Your Persuasive Copy, Business Casual Copywriting
11. Casey Demchak
“Begin your bullets with dynamic action words, and keep them brief and punchy.”
– Casey Demchak, Bust Out the Benefits with Super Sharp Bullet Points!, CaseyDemchak.com
12. James Chartrand
“Your job as a writer means placing enough information in front of your audience that they can see your point, rather than be utterly swayed to it. It’s critical to know your audience well so that you don’t over- or under-persuade.”
– James Chartrand, 15 Proven Techniques For Stunningly Persuasive Writing, Men with Pens
[tweet_box design=”box_7″]”Know your audience so you don’t over or under-persuade “- @menwithpens #copywriting[/tweet_box]
13. Neil Patel
“Copywriting is way more than putting words onto a screen. … [the] context and situation that influence the copy is called user experience.”
– Neil Patel, 5 Essential Skills for Content Marketing Copywriters Today, Content Marketing Institute
14. Barry Feldman
“Where a web page is the terrain, the copywriter’s the tour guide, instructor, concierge, maître d’, and of course, sales clerk. If the copy can’t seal the deal, it must offer something compelling to start some sort of relationship.”
– Barry Feldman, Conversion Copywriting: Strategies to Create a Customer Comfort Zone, Feldman Creative,
15. Aaron Orendorff
“Copywriting with passion — creating a shared, emotional experience of desire, delight, excitement, and awe — is the primary challenge all copywriters face.”
– Aaron Orendorff, Copywriting with Passion: 10 Proven Formulas to Amplify Your Words, Iconicontent
16. Amy Harrison
“When we talk about something negative, it doesn’t have to be dramatic, but there should be some cost of turning your offer down. What’s yours?”
– Amy Harrison, A Simple Story to Keep Your Copywriting Focused on Conversions, HarrisonAmy
17. Henneke Duistermaat
“In writing, rhythm is defined by punctuation and the stress patterns of words in a sentence. Long sentences sound smoother, while short sentences make your content snappier.”
– Henneke Duistermaat, Rhythm in Writing: How to Make Your Words Swing and Swirl, Enchanting Marketing
18. Jen Havice
“When you don’t give your customers enough information, the right information, or put it where it needs to be on the page, you run the risk of giving them the impression that you care more about the sale than them.”
– Jen Havice, You Can Write Persuasive Copy Without Being a Sleazeball… Really, Make Mention Media
19. Demian Farnworth
“Wrestling with a 2,000-word essay is not unlike birthing a calf. A life is at stake here. Your job is to make sure it survives.”
– Demian Farnworth, How to Become an Exceptional Writer, Copyblogger
[tweet_box design=”box_7″]”Wrestling a 2,000-word essay is not unlike birthing a calf. A life is at stake “- @demianfarnworth via @copyblogger #copywriting[/tweet_box]
20. Bernadette Jiwa
“Value is best communicated when it’s designed to be believed, not just described.”
– Bernadette Jiwa, Why We Have A Hard Time Communicating Value, The Story of Telling
21. Adam Kreitmann
“When your customers feel that you’re talking to them on a deep emotional level and understand their hopes, fears, and desires better than the competition, you’re gonna get the sale.”
– Adam Kreitmann, 22 One-Sentence Stories That Will Emotionally Charge Your Marketing, Crazy Egg
What’s your favorite piece of copywriting advice?
Read other Crazy Egg articles by Sharon Hurley Hall.