Copy that doesn’t suck: 3 tips

Calm your farm

Hot tip: follow the K.I.S.S method – keep it simple and straightforward.

As humans, we are collectively experiencing info overload. There is so much to consume. So many apps. So much advertising. Something to see, read and do everywhere we look.

Our attention spans are short.

We want to receive messages quickly and easily.

Instead of adding to your ideal client’s overwhelm, break your copy down so it’s simple and straightforward. This will give you a better chance at converting. You won’t lose them after the first paragraph because your copy was too wordy, too busy, or too complicated.

Ditch the glitter words

Enough of the glitter words. I don’t know about you, but glitter is annoying. 

It’s one of those things that looks nice but it’s just a huge pain in the butt. 

We think it’s necessary to make things prettier and more fun until we’re finding it in our armpits and lady bits 5 weeks after the party. 

Glitter words are no different. We think they make our sentences sparkly and enticing but they don’t. They add useless decoration to sentences and piss people off (mainly me).

Here’s some examples for you:

Bad:

Our amazing team create absolutely flawless blondes and provide amazing treatments that increase hair strength, so you have healthy, shiny locks. 

Good:

Our team create flawless blondes and use high-end treatments for healthy, shiny hair. 

Bad: 

At Little Red Hotel we aim to provide great food, excellent beer and a relaxed environment for our customers to enjoy. Situated in a little country town, Little Red Hotel welcomes you to sample its style, unique family atmosphere and friendly service.

Good:

Little Red Hotel is known for its high-quality food, refreshing beverages and the good ol’ atmosphere of a country pub. 

Cut out the useless glitter and your sentence will become far more impactful without the “fluff and filler”.

Hook people in

The way you start a piece of writing sets the whole tone for the rest and makes or breaks whether your reader continues, whether it’s an Instagram caption, a website home page or an email.

Start strong.

Think of an interesting or catchy way to hook people in. 

You could summarise your writing with a witty headline, an interesting subject line or a bold opening statement.

Whatever content you’re writing, give readers a bite-sized piece of the pie so they can test their taste buds to see if they want more.

Something I often do is start by telling a story to draw people in. People love stories.

Whatever you decide, follow the K.I.S.S method I mentioned in the previous section and give a small little taster to keep them engaged.

If your first sentence is as stale as an old piece of bread, do you think they’ll stick around and see what else you have to say? Doubt it.