Brush up on your copywriting game and create content that makes an impact!
Making regular updates to your blog page gives you the ideal platform to push a variety of content to your community. You can start a conversation, convey important information, explore new ideas, and so much more. Before you start writing, review these quick tips to craft copy that's competent, effective and engaging:
Make it Conversational
If you've become accustomed to other types of writing, settling back into the easy-going, conversational tone that blogging calls for can be a challenge. You want to get your point across (the easy part) while finessing the writing to make your reader feel right at home (the hard part). It can be a balancing act, and it takes practice. It also means you can try things that might not work elsewhere, like exclamation points, colloquialisms, and other casual language. And, as with a lot of copywriting tips, taking your proofing off the paper and reading your writing aloud is a great way to self-evaluate both technicalities and tone.
Never Forget Your Reader
If you've heard of "you-focused" copy, that's what we're talking about. Keep your audience in mind, and when appropriate, speak directly to them. Your readers will connect with your message more effectively, making them more likely to take on your call to action.
Don't Take Too Long to Get to the Point
When it comes to effective writing, less is more. It's tempting to "impress" your readers with fancy language and big word counts, but you're more likely to repel than attract with this tactic. Your college professors may have let you get away with it (maybe they even encouraged it), but your blog readers won't be as impressed. Consider these two sentence examples:
- “Those who wish to engage with the program will be sent all associated informational and registration materials.”
- “We'll send an information and registration packet to those who want to get involved.”
The second edit says the same thing, but with an active voice, a shorter word count, and simpler, more effective words.
Never Forget Your Headline
It might sound like this should go without saying, but even experienced copywriters will neglect the all-important headline after laboring over their body copy. Don't do it! Headlines matter, especially when most social media platforms you share your posts on will prominently display it. Put your headlines through the due diligence you use with the rest of your copy, and remember:
- Use the active voice
- Make it snappy
- Inspire them to click and read more
Proof It!
Again, this tip might feel like "writing 101," but even the best copywriters know how disappointing a typo can be for readers (and the author!). Don't let something so simple tank your hard work, or even get you in trouble. Try these tactics to proof your writing alone or as part of a team:
- Find an impartial eye – if you have access to a proof reader, use them! A good editor can catch spelling mistakes, issues with tone, inconsistent messaging, and more.
- Read it backward - this forces your brain to see what's actually on the page, not what your brain wants to see on the page.
Don't trust the machines - well, not completely. If there's anything predictive texting headaches have shown us, tech doesn't always know best when it comes to word choice and spelling. Spellcheck is more likely to hurt than help if left unattended.
Feeling morbidly curious about how bad a typo can be for an organization? From Juan Pablo Davila's $175 million mistake to NASA's missing hyphen, these stories prove that attention to detail matters.
