Copywriting is a skill that involves grabbing people’s attention and effectively conveying a message to evoke an action. Flamboyant words and eye-catching visuals might do the trick, but there are other ways to create compelling copy – even if you are not a wordsmith or an outstanding graphic designer!
At the heart of every successful marketing copy lies the answer to these questions:
- Who is the intended audience?
- What is the message?
- When will it be delivered?
- Where will it be seen?
- How will the audience benefit from it?
As a copywriter, you need to have a curious mind and ask these questions to get the right information to craft copy that resonates with your audience. Learn how to use the 4W1H framework (Who, What, When, Where, and How) to guide your writing process.
Who?
Before you start writing your copy, ask yourself this: “Who is the target audience?” Be clear about who you are writing for — this involves pinpointing every party interested in buying your product or service!
To get started, create imaginary profiles of your ideal customers to better understand your target demographic and what niche they fall into. A customer profile tells you everything about the people you want to target, with common details such as:
- Age
- Location
- Gender
- Purchasing habits
- Income level
- Motivations
- Challenges or pain points
With the rising trend of personalized shopping, your brand has to niche down its message to resonate with each and every customer. Customer profiling can help you save time! It categorizes them into segments, talks about the problems they faced according to their buyer personas, and proves that your product or service can solve them.
Knowing your audience will help you understand what motivates them and what kind of language and tone will appeal to them. It enables you to tailor dynamic content for your desired audience to keep them engaged.
What?
After figuring out your target audience, you need to ask, “What is the product or service?” What message needs to be conveyed?” Understanding the unique selling point of your product or service is critical in order to mention it in your copy.
You may have a great product or service, but don’t ramble about how fantastic it is in your marketing copy or you’ll turn consumers away! Research the needs and wants of your customers based on the profiles you prepared earlier. You can find out about your audience’s pain points and motivations through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
Find out what your audience is looking for online by doing keyword research. Search queries express what matters to your audience; if you need some inspiration, take a look at your competitors’ content and social media channels to see what works with your audience. If your content doesn’t align with what your audience wants, it’s not content marketing – it’s just fluff!
When?
This is a question that bugs many marketers: When is the right time to promote your product or service? Sadly, we do not have a specific answer, but you can find out what works best for your audience!
When it comes to publishing content, the question of timing goes beyond simply finding the perfect day or time. Knowing when to promote your product can help you create copy that taps into your audience’s emotions and desires.
It’s crucial to experiment and find out what timing is best for your particular audience. However, consistency is key: Establishing a regular publishing schedule is essential to keeping them engaged. It’s better to publish a high-quality and high-value post once a week rather than posting shallow content every day. So don’t worry too much about timing; just deliver consistent content that resonates with your audience!
Where?
Gone are the days of a straightforward answer to the question, “Where is this content being published?”. Content nowadays, reaches beyond TV advertisements or social media platforms! Knowing where your copy will be displayed will help you create content that fits the medium and grabs your audience’s attention.
Many marketers have realized that it makes sense to post content natively on platforms like Medium, LinkedIn, or even Facebook instead of trying to drive traffic back to a blog post. For instance, a long-form post on LinkedIn is likely to load more quickly on mobile devices, be more accessible to your audience, and offer in-depth analytics on engagement.
Ensure that you have a specific call-to-action (CTA) that prompts your audience to take the next step on your website. Look for new ways to get your content out there and try different things to find the right balance for your brand.
How?
Your audience wants quality content, but you want conversions that lead to revenue. Connect these two goals by answering this crucial question: How will the copy persuade your audience to take the desired action?
Knowing how to create persuasive copy can help engage your audience and motivate them to take action. To get them on board, make sure that your copy resonates with their pain points.
If you own a brand that sells shoes, your marketing copy should sound like this:
“Are you tired of shoes that pinch, rub, or leave you with blisters after a long day? At XYZ Shoes, we understand your pain! From cushioned sneakers to comfortable heels, we have a range of footwear for every foot type and lifestyle. Say goodbye to blisters on your feet and hello to comfort and style!”
After that, give them a specific next step forward; a logical CTA should not be overwhelming to minimize the risk of boring the reader with too much information. Probe them to take action by offering value and building trust. Be clear, be reasonable, be helpful, and you’ll see those conversions roll in!
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And there you have it — writing with a curious mind according to the 4W1H framework. By asking the right questions and digging deeper, you can craft engaging copy that drives sales. Writing is not just about telling a story; it’s also about taking your readers on a journey.
Drive them down the customer funnel with persuasive messaging, compelling CTAs, and a seamless user experience that converts user engagement into sales! Keep your customers at the forefront of your strategy to grow your business and achieve your goals.
Want to grab your audience’s attention with outstanding marketing copy? Get in touch with us at https://www.theblankpad.com/start-a-project/!
