Copywriting can make or break a business. Good copywriting can take your business from meh to magnificent. But you need certain skills. What skills do you need to be a copywriter?
There are five major skills a copywriter should have:
- Refined writing skills
- Stellar research skills
- Empathy
- Ability to create new from old
- Curiosity
1. Refined writing skills
Learn to write well if you want to become a great copywriter.
You must master the little things like spelling, and grammar, and you must have a vast vocabulary in order to better portray your message.
The thing is… you don’t have to be born in an English-speaking country to know how to write well. All you need is to spend some time learning how to write well.
Soon, you’ll learn how to write simple English well.
2. Stellar research skills
A copywriter needs to have access to a wide range of tools.
While the majority of your research will be done online, you should be open to doing some print as well.
If a topic is assigned, you should be aware of exactly where to start looking for information.
You don’t need a photographic memory for this, though. All you need is the capacity to solve problems.
Online savvy is a good place to start. Understand how to conduct a proper Google search, which keywords to use, and how to maximize your results.
You need authoritative sites most of all.
You cannot cite your sources from just anyone because more blogs and websites are appearing online.
Make sure the organization or person you reference is an authority in the field, has solid research and knows what they are talking about.
Get the Moz toolbar and install it. You can check a website’s domain authority (DA) for free with this tool.
What would be a good DA to use as a reference?
A DA of 40 to 50 is considered average, a score of 50 to 60 is considered good, and anything over 60 is considered excellent, according to SEO Pressor.
Naturally, the website/resource will be more reliable the closer it is to 100.
3. Empathy
You must engage the reader on an emotional level if you plan on writing something that sells.
You delve into their joys, sorrows, failures, fears, and convictions.
The reader is more likely to respond to your call to action at the end if you use the power of empathy to set them up for your sales pitch.
Empathy, according to Psychology Today’s Peter Noel Murry, Ph.D., can triple the effectiveness of copy.
How to create empathy
Use these tips below to create empathy with your copy even if you are not an empathetic person.
- Think about the prospect’s objections.
- What moves the prospect to action?
- How will your product/service benefit the user?
- Examine the competition to determine why they have lost their customers’ trust.
- Investigate various formats for presenting your argument and consider what your intended audience would find most appealing (i.e. sales-like, storytelling, ).
Critical copywriting skills include the ability to anticipate and understand the thoughts of your readers.
It demands that you dissociate yourself from your ideas, biases, and even desires. Even if you disagree with them, you must only consider your reader’s needs.
4. Ability to create new from old
One copywriter skill will never change: the need to create something new.
While copywriter skills are constantly changing to meet the needs of search engines and internet users, there is one skill that will never change.
Currently, one of the biggest difficulties facing writers is coming up with new material.
A serious case of writer’s block can result from trying to do something that has already been done, tried, and rehashed 500 times on the internet.
When the assignment is on a subject you don’t understand or when you’re assigned a dull industry, you might feel stuck.
How, for instance, do you add excitement and fun to changing car oil?
Many consumers don’t even know what kind of oil is in their cars, so it’s not like they’re dying to read about the oil in their engines.
How then are you going to write something fresh, enjoyable, and interesting when only half of your audience is interested?
A fantastic post on how to come up with more ideas was written by Tapa Ngum for Lifehack, and it can easily be applied to copywriting.
How to come up with great, new ideas
Use these tips below to come up with amazing new ideas, even if the topic is old.
- Select the subject or area you want to write about. Limit it to a particular topic.
- Look into those in the field who are succeeding with the same subject. That means looking at other blogs and websites that are discussing the same issue.
- Learn why they are so successful by reading what they are writing. Is that their style of writing? Do they have images in them? Check out the aspects of their writing that stand out.
- Start brainstorming now. Write as many ideas as you can, drawing inspiration from these significant influencers.
- Pick the concepts that stand out the most when you return a few minutes (or hours) later. After trimming the fat, you’ll have a list of fantastic places to start.
5. Curiosity
Great copywriters are extremely curious people.
Instead of accepting an answer, you probe it and dissect it. You play around with the facts, investigate various angles for looking into a subject, and you’re always eager to learn more.
You almost get excited about the task of researching a subject.
Even though you don’t know much about the topic, you are curious and eager to learn everything there is to know about it.
This copywriting talent usually comes naturally, but before you decide you’re not inquisitive enough, think about just asking yourself questions.
Start by asking the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How questions whenever you have a topic or assignment. This is called the 5W1H formula.
By responding to those six crucial questions, you can deceive yourself into becoming curious.
Start improving your copywriting skills
Take the time to hone your copywriting skills now that you are aware of them.
Even after you’ve reached the top, you should never think you’ve finished honing your copywriting skills because it takes time.
The best copywriters are constantly coming up with new ideas and seeking ways to get better. You can grow as a writer by following suit.
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