What is copywriting?

Copywriting is generally described as copywriting or copywriting to promote a person, company, opinion, or idea. It can be written in plain text, such as a television or radio advertisement, or in a variety of other media. The main goal of writing marketing copy is to persuade the listener or reader to take action, like buying a product or service, or subscribing to a certain point of view, for example. Copywriting can also serve to dissuade the reader from a particular belief or action.

According to Wikipedia, “Copywriting can include body text, taglines, headlines, direct mail articles, slogans, jingle lyrics, Internet and World Wide Web content, radio or television commercial scripts, press releases, reports technical and other written material incorporated into advertising. media “. A copywriter or person who writes the ad copy can come up with ideas for print ads, mail order catalogs, billboards, commercials, brochures, postcards, online sites, email, letters, and other advertising media.

The art of copywriting

The art of writing advertising copy is based on the assumption that words can change the thinking, attitudes, beliefs and behavior of an audience. If the writing of a copy fails to arouse attention, interest, desire, conviction, and action, it has failed in its task and intention.

One of the oldest copywriting formulas is AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. An ad that does not attract the attention of the reader will not be able to do anything else. Only after attracting attention can an advertisement spark consumer interest and create a desire for the product, service, or idea presented. Finally, the ad must stimulate some action on the part of the customer, or it will not have served its purpose.

Copywriting techniques

Some techniques a copywriter can use to write persuasive ad copy include:

• Clichés or buzzwords, like, now, new, here, finally, and today.
• Action words, like buy, try, ask, get, send, try, look, look, come and many more.
• Emotional or exciting words, using adjectives that enhance facts, such as splendid, amazing, delicious, beautiful, and wonderful.
• Alliteration or a form of repetition of sounds that are pleasant to the ear, but not exaggerated, obvious or irritating, such as ‘Let the train strain’, ‘Don’t be lazy, ask for Haig’ and ‘Go well, go Shell’.
• Colloquialisms or writing to mimic informal speech, such as ‘Pick’ n Choose ‘,’ Fish ‘n Chips’, and the use of words, such as, no, I wouldn’t, I won’t, what, and other abbreviations.
• Punctuation and grammar, like, ‘Save the kids. Now. ‘Write his name in gold. Remy Martin. ‘
• Repetition, such as using the same word to open each paragraph, connecting the brand or company name throughout the text.
• Intertextuality or the association of a text with other texts or signs, such as the use of the word ‘padlock’ to associate with security, or the use of a statement, term or sign from a film or other medium.

When writing a headline for a print ad, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Make the headline an important persuasive component of the ad.
• Appeal to the reader’s self-interest with a basic promise of benefits.
• Inject as much information as possible without being cumbersome or lengthy
• Limit headlines to 5-8 words
• Include the brand name in the title.
• Engage the reader in reading the body text
• Engage the reader in examining the visual element of the ad.
• Never change the font of a title
• Never use a headline whose persuasive impact depends on reading the body of the text.
• Use simple, common and familiar words

When writing the subtitle, keep the following in mind:

• The subtitle should reinforce the title
• The subtitle should prompt the reader to continue with the body text.
• Captions should encourage a more complete reading of the entire ad.
• The longer the body of the text, the more appropriate the use of subtitles
• Keep the use of subtitles to a minimum, as they can overwhelm an ad.

When writing the body copy, keep the following in mind:

• Use the present tense whenever possible
• Use singular nouns and verbs
• Use active verbs
• Use familiar words and phrases
• Vary the length of sentences and paragraphs
• Engage the reader
• Provide support for the incredible
• Avoid cliches and superlatives.

Common mistakes in copywriting

Some common copywriting mistakes to avoid include:

• Vagueness, the result of the generalization of words or imprecise meanings.
• The verbiage, where the economy of words is paramount because a copy has to fit in a limited space and time before boring the audience.
• Triviality or lack of originality, where the use of clichés and worn-out superlatives can create a boring and outdated image for a brand or firm.
• Beyond creativity, where creativity is taken overboard for the sake of creativity. A copy must remain true to its primary responsibility: communicate the sales message.

conclusion

Writing good copy requires much more than what is mentioned in this article. It requires research, innovative thinking, and many other aspects. For more tips on copywriting, check out the many resources available on the web and read relevant books from professional copywriters.