5 Ways to Make Compelling Copy for your Readers – without being an expert

Everything about an article or a review – its perceived value, efficacy and message – rests upon good copywriting.  Copy is substance and without it, even skilled and well-meaning writer and his article will be ignored, the article’s value be missed altogether. It is no surprise then why people go through great lengths in order to produce a good piece of copywriting…  Learn the ways you, too, can make copy good:

Know what you are writing about.

There is nothing worse than a writer who bluffs.  Some writers have well written, fictions that they pass off as genuine but they were able to do so only because they backed up their writing with plenty of research. 

If you were asked to write about criminology, for example, how much would you be able to write without using a single reference? Probably not enough to convince the average reader.

To avoid moving around blindly for your subject and to make your copy good, do plenty of research.  Use at least three good references for your write-up. If you think you need to interview someone knowledgeable for it, then do so. This will allow you to capture enough information to use for your article write-up.

Always think about your readers

Your readers have different perspectives. To make your copy interesting, consider carefully what it is they like and are interested in and then zoom in on those interests. Also speak their language, use plain and simple language, so they quickly understand and are comfortable with what you have to say. 

If you’re writing for teenagers aged 15-19, for example, you probably wouldn’t use the kind of language you write with if your audience were men and women in their 40s and 50s, right?  Remember that you’re trying to sell an idea through your writing, so speak to your readers in a way they can easily understand and relate to.

Watch your grammar

If you were a good listener during your grammar class, you might want to heave a sigh of relief. A high premium is placed on good grammar and if you want to make your copy interesting and flow, do ensure you avoid silly grammar and spelling mistakes. 

Be careful with subject-verb agreement, punctuation marks, tenses, sentence completion and clauses. Bad grammar is never viewed as good copy and is dismissed as amateurish and low quality, therefore unreliable, even if you are talking as an expert.

Find a good headline

The headline serves as the introductory statement to your article or review. It should engage their attention immediately. Without a good headline, there’s a strong chance your target readers might ignore your article and move on. This is something you don’t want to happen. Imagine losing the attention of 7 out of 10 potential readers just because your headline doesn’t work…!

Make sure your headline is effective, clear and concise. It should interest the reader, make them wonder, raise their curiosity, even intrigue them so that they have enough reasons to want to read more.

Make your copy easy to read

Finally, to make your copy good, it has to be relatable and easy to read. If you’re writing about planting roses for beginner gardeners, for example, don’t make it sound like an instructional material for producing fossil fuel. Read your work out loud – if it sounds like normal speech, then you’re on the right track.   Always mind your readers. They are, after all, the end users of your work and they should be able to like what you offer them.

Find out more about creating persuasive copy at Stephen’s PowerCopy club:

https://stephenomearaonline.com/powercopy