Some Copy Writing Tips

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Some Quick Things to Note About Copywriting.
For some reason, people seem to take on a completely different personality when writing copy for their websites or company literature.

I've already explained the need for writing about the prospect and talking in terms of benefits, rather than writing the typical corporate self-obsessed boring rubbish.

But here, I'd like to make a quick point about readability.

The purpose of writing great copy is selling, not passing an english exam.

OK, so if you're tendering for the MOD to supply nuclear submarines then perhaps you might want to have a more formal style than normal.

But if you're selling washing machines or trying to get people to pick up the phone and book an appointment for your double glazing company then your copywriting style needs to be a lot more relaxed and friendly.

Like mine for example.

The good news, is that there are tools available to help you with how "readable" your copy is.

In fact Microsoft Word - probably the most ubiquitous word processing application around, has a handy tool built right into it.

Go into tools/options/spelling & grammar or (options - depending which version you have) and checkout the readability statistics function.

I have been told by a copywriting colleague of mine that you should aim to make the copy readable by a grade level 8 (I think that means about a 14 year old).

You need to keep to 1 idea per sentence. Try and keep sentences relatively short (15 words per sentence is about right).

You also need to aim to have the "Reading Ease" over 60.

In general, your copy needs to pass the "bar stool test".

i.e. if you were sat next to someone in a pub and they wouldn't immediately understand what you were saying without any difficulty then there is something wrong with your copy.

The usual problem is that people try and show off and use unnecessary words which just alienates people.

For example, why do people use the word "utilise" instead of "use" ?
Pomposity costs you money!

A quick note by the way on a slightly different tack (legibility rather than readability) , use a "sans-serif" font online - such as Arial or Verdana and a "serif" font for print - such as Times New Roman.

I say this because the default font on many wysiwyg editors is Times New Roman but the screen resolution online isn't as good as print and therefore the twirly bits(called serifs!) can become blurred.

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'till next time,

Mike Knight. MKLINK Internet Marketing Tips