What is Copywriting? The ABCs of Copywriting for Beginners

I’m taking it back to our wordsmithing roots to lay out the essentials of copywriting. Now, If you’re already a copywriter, chances are you’ve been asked over and over again to explain What it is you do?

Copywriting is different from copyright,!

No, we don’t deal with copyright law, We are, in fact, writers!! Were you confused by the difference too? If you were it’s cool, you are not alone. What makes copywriting different from any other form of writing?

Well, in a nutshell, copywriting is the art of crafting words for the sole purpose of conversion…

Good copy convinces people to take action. So, anytime you want to compel a prospective customer to click a link, or call a number, or signup with an email address or yes, BUY something, it relies on copy… Basically, it’s the messaging that fuels your entire business. It’s the foundation of your brand and the secret sauce to your sales. As I like to say, the right phrase pays! Copywriting is used in various marketing materials — like sales pages, websites, emails, promotional videos, direct mail flyers, catalogs and advertising campaigns.

But think less Mad Men and more SJP in Sex and The City. The goal for copywriting may be to increase conversion rates…

But the best kind of copy out there uses storytelling, creates emotional resonance, and builds brand value, while guiding the prospect through a valuable buying experience. And this is particularly important, guys.

Copywriting is very different than Content writing. Content writing is indeed important in business, but it focuses more on engagement and brand awareness through content mediums such as blog posts, YouTube videos like this, social media, and about pages.

Copywriting is one-directional and is written strategically for a singular call to action, whereas Content is more organic and educational.

So, I’m sharing the A-B-Cs of copywriting to help you understand the key elements that make up the structure of any good copy...

So let’s start with the letter A. An is for ATTENTION!

Read all about it! If there are one thing copywriting needs to do, it’s to grab attention. Good copy should hook the reader’s interest and establish a connection long enough to guide them through to the next step of the buying experience. This is usually established with a strong, compelling headline, subject line, or opening line...

Depending on the medium, whether it be a sales page, email, ad, or video script. You can do this by opening a loop that makes a prospect want to find out more, adding scarcity to create a sense of urgency, or provoking an emotion that builds up the desire for a particular benefit you offer... And if you don’t get their attention quickly, your prospect is gone.

So once you’ve hooked them in,

You can move on to the letter B.B is for BIG PROMISE!

Here’s the thing — the number one question on your reader’s mind will always be —“What is in it for me?” The truth about good copywriting (and really selling in general) is that most of the time… Your product.

Doesn’t. Matter. What? Yup, I said it. And here’s what I mean by that. People don’t buy the WHAT... They buy the WHY. They’re way more interested in the value and the outcome of your solution, rather than the specific product. And with audiences getting savvier and the market more saturated, now more than ever you need to make sure you’re focusing on the BIG PROMISE you offer upfront. Prospects need to be convinced not just of your product, but also of YOU and your unique selling proposition. So to do this, you need to get crystal clear on what you do better than anybody else. This is where communicating your singular benefit (and that’s a second B by the way!) comes in.

Many companies make the mistake of simply describing the product they offer...

And not the results that one can receive when using it. There’s a big difference between your product features and benefits.

A feature is something that your product has or is. It’s planned, built, and executed in order to directly solve a problem. In copywriting, features are factual statements about your product or service. But NOT what entices customers to actually buy.

Benefits, on the other hand, are WHY someone is purchasing your product. They describe the outcome that the user will (hopefully) experience by using your product or service. Or in other words, the BIG Promise.

So for example — if you’re writing for a workout app that gives people access to various studios around the world, a feature would be “Get access to over 100 studios”. But your benefit could be “Don’t commit to just one gym. Get a variety of workouts in every single week, anywhere, anytime!” See the difference?

Now that brings us to the letter C.C is to CALL-TO-ACTINS!

No matter how persuasive you are with your copywriting, none of it matters unless you have a strong call to action. And the rule of thumb is this— You should only be asking your prospect to do one thing. You should have one clear and concise call to action and it mustn't leave any room for confusion on what to do next - and that’s usually to either visit, call, click, signup, or buy.

And don’t be afraid to be redundant or repetitive. Studies have shown that people forget information at an alarming speed unless there is repetition. So if you’re working with a longer sales page, email, script, or ad… be sure to repeat your call to action at least once or twice! Think of it this way…

If you’re asking for something that might cost a person their attention, time, or money, Do not make them struggle to understand what to do next, or what to expect. Confusion is the BIGGEST conversion killer and not having a clear and concise call to action is one of the biggest mistakes a copywriter can make. If you want to learn the other 5 deadly mistakes commonly made by even the most experienced copywriters.

Alright posse, there you have it — the ABCs to copywriting! Attention, Big Promise, and Call To Action.

Ok, and now that you know what copywriting is, it’s time to go a little bit deeper.