How Conversion Copywriting Can Help Your Business Succeed

Even if you are an incredible copywriter, you’re also a busy marketing pro who is looking to grow into a CMO. So you have to delegate (I know – it’s a challenge for me as well, but as they say… if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!)

So that means you may either be outsourcing some of your copywriting tasks or even leading a team of copywriters. And that’s where it gets critically important to understand the difference between writing, copywriting, and conversion-focused copywriting.

In this case, we’re going to focus specifically on conversion copywriting (but of course, if you love to write for fun, or you’re blogging and you don’t want it to be anything more than your thoughts and a creative outlet, keep finding places to do that!)

What is Conversion Copywriting?

In a nutshell, conversion copywriting is meticulously and specifically written to get the reader to take our desired action.

By virtue, all copy can be conversion focused, but some subtle strategy decisions can make all the difference.

First, let\’s set some ground rules for the most common definitions of conversions.

Macro conversions (a.k.a. the primary conversion on a website)
1. Revenue-Based
  1. Successful order completion
  2. Enrollments in courses
2. Lead Generation-Based
  1. Signing up for newsletters/ lead magnets (free eBook, etc.)
  2. Free demo signups
  3. Membership signups (creating member accounts)
3. Inquiry-Based
  1. Completing questionnaire on contact forms
  2. Booking a discovery call
  3. Social Media DMs about inquiries
Micro Conversions (a.k.a. the steps that get the audience to primary conversion on a website)
1. Navigation Based Conversions
  1. Navigating to other pages on a website (home > about > blog)
  2. Reaching an application form
  3. Entering the checkout process
  4. Landing on the website from search results
2. Engagement Based Conversions
  1. Time spent interacting with the website
  2. Leaving comments on blogs
  3. Navigating through various pages on a website
  4. Scroll-throughs on each page
  5. Frequency of visits
3. Interaction Based Conversions
  1. Add to carts
  2. Downloading freebie resources (Service guides, etc.)
  3. Clicking & watching the promo video
  4. Checking & interacting with social media accounts
  5. Sharing content

It can take your prospects as many as 13 pieces of content from you to trust in and ultimately invest in your offer.

That means focusing on your micro conversions first, before focusing on macro conversions, can accelerate your success.

This said, the number one reason many businesses fail to create conversions despite having great content is that their content isn\’t conversion optimized.

A content funnel is THE system to deploy if you want to skyrocket your conversions!

Within this content funnel, you’ll help your audience walk through awareness > evaluation > conversion using the content on your website.

Here\’s a diagram to simplify it for you:

source: https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:828/format:webp/0*v9ZqPz1CNuw31cHp.png

Now, let’s understand how copywriters create conversions using their words…

The Elements That Create Great Copy:

Market Research

Just as you, a marketer, have a detailed understanding of your target audience, your copywriters always have their “marketing hats” on. Because they know that unless their writing is hyper-targeted, it is much less likely to convert!

Here’s a look inside the brain of your copywriter:

Am I truly clear on my target audience?
What are all the pain & struggles they face now?
What’s currently missing in the market?
How is my offer different from ANYTHING else out there?
What are the nuances in my audience’s language & communication style?
How do I explain the solution my offer provides to a ten year old?

Attention-Grabbing Headlines

It’s a myth that our audiences have short attention spans…

NO! In fact…

The world bombards your audience with so much sub-par content that it can be hard for them to cut through the clutter and the noise to find (and focus on) your amazing content.

Remember, the goal of every sentence on a web page is to get your readers to read the sentence that follows…

And the goal of that sentence is… to get the readers to the next sentence…

Until they reach the end. (Or until you gently and persuasively guide them to the next relevant piece of content.)

Don’t be afraid to think of this in small steps – just like finishing your first 5K or half marathon, those small steps add up to a big result!

(I am also fond of reminding clients to eat the elephant one bite at a time, although why someone would be eating an elephant at all, I’m not sure…)

Psychological Hooks & Triggers

Whether your copywriter creates scarcity to get that click or converts your offer\’s features into benefits for your audience, psychological triggers and hooks help them get the sale, grow your audience, and build brand loyalty.

We’ll be diving into the numerous psychological hooks and triggers out there in a future article, so stay tuned. But until then, here’s an article you might find interesting.

Storytelling Formulas

Our civilization evolved and brought us here through the power of storytelling. It\’s the one constant throughout our history.

That\’s why, even today, a good story can instantly hook us right in.

And that\’s why a great conversion copywriter should also be an incredible storyteller. And if you\’d like to better understand storytelling, here\’s something you might find interesting.

Calls To Action

Remember macro and micro conversions? Think about what calls to action can help my reader take the next step (however tiny it might be), which is closer to the bottom of your content funnel.

That\’s the key difference that turns a piece of content into copy… It\’s conversion-focused.

Now that we\’ve got the basics out of the way, let\’s look at effective content through the eyes of a copywriter.

How to write like a copywriter?

From someone who’s written copy for many many years, here are a few insider tips to help your copy highlight its purpose:

Your Copy Needs Confidence

The more you water down your message and try to please everyone, the more you lose conversions (because you can\’t be everything to everyone at the same time – riches are in the niches, right?)

Ensure your copy reflects the following:

Call out your audience, their pain, challenges, ridiculous thoughts; you get the point…

Look at your copy and replace all the \”I\” statements with \”You/We\” statements. You\’d be surprised at the results!

Don\’t be afraid to ruffle feathers. Polarize your audience… EMPATHETICALLY. You have a point of view: share it (and stand behind it), but also be open to someone having an equally persuasive counter-argument. Bonus points for laying those counter-arguments out in the post, too.

Become the \”Big Sister\” brand your audience turns to for ALL their troubles, which means having the right content and more of it.

Ensure all your content is authoritative, direct, and boss-like.

Your Copy Needs Empathy

In 2023 and beyond, we\’re bidding farewell to shaming people into investing in our offers.

No more guilt tactics and sleazy marketing. The world is pivoting towards collective healing, and the more we get on that bandwagon, the better for us.

If your copywriter uses a psychological trigger to blame, shame, and guilt your audience into buying, remember to gut-check that against your core values, mission, and vision – because doing this is a surefire way to end brand loyalty and ultimately find yourself on the receiving end of a lot of refund requests or cancellations.

Your Copy Needs Clarity

Lack of clarity in your content usually happens when there\’s first a lack of direction in your content marketing funnel.

When ToFu, MoFu, and BoFu (Top Of the Funnel, Middle Of the Funnel, and Bottom Of the Funnel) aren\’t clear to your copywriters, the messaging won\’t be clear to your audience.

A clear content calendar with the yearly goals > the half-yearly goals > the immediate quarterly goals > and the immediate monthly goals will help your copywriters write with a sense of direction.

Your Copy Needs Direction

\”What\’s the objective of ___ copy?\” Fill in the blank with website copy/ blog copy/ social media copy/ podcast script/ or anything else you can imagine.

Once the objective is clear, work backward…

\”What would help me connect my audience\’s problems with this objective?\”

Your solution would lie somewhere in the middle, and your brand would successfully add more value to your audience without sounding \”sales-ey.\”

Your Copy Needs Personality

Whether it\’s using case studies to establish your authority, storytelling to build engagement, or humor to continue the scrolls, your copy needs to invoke the imagination of your audience.

That\’s what makes your brand memorable.

Whether that\’s your mission, the objective that created your offer, or your thoughts in your blog, as long as you weave in imagination to get your audience\’s curiosity running, you\’ll successfully build irrational brand loyalty.

What next?

Now that you understand how to write copy that converts, check out my podcast episode on “Filling Your Funnel With Monthly Conversions” to help you with the marketing tools you can deploy to catapult your conversions.

I provide some really specific – and super simple! – ideas for generating leads, driving conversions, and increasing revenue… and I can’t wait to hear what you think!

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