Copy Hackers, Books 1-4

Joanna Wiebe writes this concise series on how to write copy for the web. Each book is short and includes tips/instructions.

1: Where Stellar Messages Come From

Messaging Strategy and Know Your Customers

You need to have a clear grasp on your message about:

• your company
• your product, service, or solution

Some principles to follow include:

• some visitors want to read a lot, some want to read a little
• support with social proof
• if you say something - prove it
• clarity > cleverness
• all visitors can be persuaded

Know your customers before you write a word. Know:

• what you want to say
• how to say what you want
• what visitors want to see and how they want to see it

You can figure this out by:

1. Researching your visitors
2. Find out who your target market is (surveys, talk to people)
3. Narrowing market into focusable segments
4. Uncover and address that segment's pain (what do they search for, test PPC)
5. Align everything you say to address the pain

Write Copy for 20-35% of Visitors, Not 100% of Them

Focus on niches, it's easier to convert. Examples:

• CampaignMonitor - Email marketing software for designers and their clients
• CollegeBudget - Student-only deals, delivered daily
• Reachly - We connect hotels with guests in real time

Document Your Features/Benefits

Address what your user wants first, follow up with how your product satisfies those wants (aka benefit first, feature second). Example:

Feature - light switch on a lamp. Benefit - You can easily fill a room with light.

Wiebe suggests we document all of our features in a table with 5 columns: features, unique to us, customer pain solved, benefits, priority. In your copy, turn features into benefits.

Be specific about your benefits/features. Summaries aren't noticeable or memorable. They work in pairs, always support a benefit with a feature and vice versa.

Show, don't tell.

Let Customers/Competitors Craft Your Message

• Use keywords your visitors want to see (keyword research tools)
• Do a competitor content audit to understand existing messages (focus on value propositions, benefits highlighted, primary call to actions)

Always Have a Simple Messaging Hierarchy

• Write scannable copy that draws people in
• Make sure the hierarchy is clearly organized, drawing visitors to CTAs

8 Messaging Tips

1. Start with 10x more info, write... and then cut
2. Don't assume your audience knows everything
3. Keep offers simple (succinct and sharp sells)
4. Copy works best when readers believe it
5. Customers want a magic button to press
6. If it's current news and related to you, use it
7. Most important decision is how to position your product/service
8. When writing feels difficult, you're doing it right

2: Formatting and The Essentials of Web Writing

Format Copy to Be Scanned

• Be thoughtful, deliberate, intentional with formatting
• Use the "F Pattern"
• Put things out of place when they need to be recognized
• Use headlines, bolding, and supporting images
• Use actual numbers like 1,2,3 instead of one,two,three

Essentials of Formatting Web Copy

Use these tips:

• bold important copy
• use bullet lists
• use buttons
• use color sparingly
• use directives or arrows to be more explicit
• use large font whenever possible
• use icons & images
• split copy into paragraphs, no longer than 4 lines
• make links look like links

Web-Writing Details

• write copy with substance (if it's not valuable, don't put it on your website)
• follow the rule of 3 (ie 3 main features, 3 value props, 3 etc...)
• hack off intro words like "first and foremost" or "little did they know"
• lead with a verb where possible
• keep sentences short
• address 1 small idea per copy chunk with headlines
• avoid paragraphs when possible
• front load critical info
• avoid repeating words in same space
• there is time for jargon, but not on headlines/subheads

Avoid These 17 Copywriting Pitfalls

1. Failing to introduce self
2. Focusing on "We" more than "You"
3. Overusing one type of formatting
4. Welcoming people to your site
5. Too much marketing
6. Summarizing everything as saving time/money
7. Using too big words
8. Ignoring copywriting
9. Making it difficult to buy or sign up
10. Having too many points
11. Not giving visitors enough information
12. Getting too personal
13. Replacing important copy with images
14. Supporting copy with meaningless stock images
15. Relying on best practices
16. Failing to test
17. Failing to proofread

Biggest/Crippling Web Writing Myths

Some myths:

1. Headline should be 7 words or fewer (be succinct but powerful)
2. Always leading with a benefit
3. Don't write "click here" - a/b test it
4. Never say "we"
5. Writing should be done for SEO first
6. Don't begin sentences with "and", "but", or "because"
7. Keeping important copy above the fold

Some facts:

1. Headline is the most important copy on the page
2. Images sometimes speak louder than words
3. Copy is king on the web
4. Write for a 6th grader
5. Use lists and short paragraphs
6. Use the active voice, not the passive ("starvation causes death" not "death is caused by starvation")

3: Headlines, Subheads, and Value Propositions

Why Headlines Are Important

• Headline is the most important copy on the page
• Its job is to stop visitors in their tracks

Write the headline before anything else. It must:

• match visitor expectation
• intrigue the visitor
• communicate clearly
• get to the visitor's point

Pair the headline with a subhead. Headline draws visitor in, subhead holds their attention, builds on headline, and compels them to continue.

Do not just match your headline to the generic navigation link, like "Features" or "How it Works".

Attention Grabbing Headlines

1. Make an almost unbelievable promise or claim that you can back up
2. Give a time limit - "How to build memory in 4 short weeks"
3. Stomp just 1 objection to smithereens (most common or curious) - "Is this the world's easiest yoga?"
4. Be unexpected - "Doing taxes is easier than ever"
5. Tap into something powerfully emotional - "Why models stay young till sixty!"
6. Use trigger words: instantly, worth, one and only, while you sleep, #1, the reason, feel, yes you really can.

Formulas To Write Headlines That Get Read

OR ELSE PROMISE Highly desirable thing + time limit + consequence of not being delivered: "Your dream house blueprints in 7 days or they're free"

OBJECTION STOMPER Now + highly desirable thing + even if objection: "Now you can build an iPhone app even if you're not a programmer"

HOW TO How to + verb/noun + benefit: "How to support customers 7x faster with Gizmojo"

QUANTITIES Numeral + noun(s) + verb + object OR verb + numeral + noun: "Get 1,000+ New Twitter Followers"

LISTS Numeral + pronoun? + noun + problem: "7 signs you're trapped in a contract"

WHY, WHEN, OR HOW Why/when/how + statement of great intrigue: "Why SEO is no longer a mystery"

NO HOLDS BARRED The + adjective + way + desirable but difficult thing: "The lightning fast, easy way to run a free background check"

SIMILE Do X + like + Y: "Save money like scrooge"

Subheads

Two types of subheads: supporting text below a headline and small headlines introducing sections later in the page.

To support headlines:

• expand on benefit or intrigue
• introduce secondary benefit
• clarify the claim in headline

To use as smaller headlines:

• use to introduce transition to a different point
• be short, clear, benefit focused

Quick Headline/Subhead Power Tips

• always be clear
• target pain
• don't be tentative, test it out with A/B testing
• think twice about punctuating headlines
• don't over-promise
• consistently capitalize
• try using questions but don't go overboard
• don't be too on the nose when using numbers
• use number 7 instead of word seven
• mirror language from previous CTA

Value Proposition

• value prop is most important headline
• describe what makes it unique and highly desirable
• highlight benefits/values you're offering
• use whatever applies only to your brand or product
• state in single, succinct, meaningful and clear statement
• be memorable

4: Buttons and Click Worthy Calls to Action

Good Call To Actions

Three levels of CTAs on a page:

1. Primary CTA (generally should be a button)
2. Secondary CTA (button or link)
3. Other/Subordinate CTA (generally should be links)

Two types of buttons:

1. Single-line buttons
2. Multi-line buttons: 2nd lien boosts with supporting point to compel clicks

Principles of high performing button copy:

1. Lead with a familiar verb
2. Use articles or prepositions (eg "the", "a", or "for")
3. Be specific with word choice
4. Add a benefit or point of value if possible
5. Consider page you're driving them to, consider its headline (transition well)
6. Suggest instant gratification (tack on "Today", "Now", "Instantly", or "In Seconds")

A good general example: Sign Up for Free

A better specific example: Get Your Feed Now

A/B test your CTA copy!

Use This Copy For Your Own Buttons

Copy for buttons fall into five categories:

1. Transactional: add to cart, available in the app store, buy now, buy now & save, buy now and save $5, buy now with 1 click, download now, download it free, download the free trial, get instance access now, get started, try it free
2. Informational: browser our store, email joe the sales guy, find out more, get details, learn more, see pricing, visit our store, watch the demo
3. Sign up: create my account, get notified, get started, sign me up, sign up, sign up for free, notify me when you're live
4. Social: add your comment, comment now, follow us on twitter, get the rss feed, join the discussion, sign up for the newsletter
5. Corporate (company, including about, hiring, contact, and PR)

For multi-line buttons, here's what to include on the second line:

• quantified discounts
• offer end dates
• length of time to complete action
• money back guarantees
• free shipping
• cancellation policies
• trial time frame
• file size of download

Stomp Down Objections First

Top 8 common sales objections:

1. Don't really need this
2. Don't have authority to buy
3. Don't want to be sold this
4. Not a high priority
5. Existing solution works well enough
6. Your company doesn't have capability or credibility
7. Your prices are unreasonable
8. I will have to spend too much time/energy convincing others

Address these issues before the CTA.

Before Click, Reduce Their Anxiety And Increase Love

• Align design with your offering. Amazon looks cheap on purpose. Apple looks elegant on purpose.
• People are more afraid of losing than gaining
• Have credibility indicators like how long you've been around, an about page, etc...
• Do basic research on visitor/consumer anxieties
• Neutralize anxieties with copy near your CTAs (example: lock icon)

Click Triggers

These succinct phrases near CTAs will improve conversions. Simple ones:

• Fast Sign Up
• No Account Required
• No Downloads
• Free Shipping
• Next Day Shipping
• Free Returns
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
• Free Support
• #1 Best Selling
• Top Rated
• Starts At Just $2.99
• Cancel Anytime
• No Contracts
• Pay by VISA, MasterCard or PayPal
• star ratings
• Save 20%
• Save $65
• Ends Midnight, June 30

There are also aggressive click triggers like:

• Absolutely Zero Risk! We offer a full, no-questions-asked refund - and you have a whopping 90 days to request it.
• 1 on 1 Help from Judy! We'll assign you a team of specialists that you can call on for help any day of the week.
• We always ship via FedEx overnight - for just $4.

Click triggers neutralizes anxiety. PR mentions, credibility factors, testimonials are all click triggers. Put them near CTAs.

Getting People To Fill In Sign-Up Fields And Watch Demos

1. Give clear directions on what you'd like your visitor to do - be obvious
2. Make it as easy as possible
3. Video captions are call to actions too