Articles, blog posts and even most email messages are considered to be “content.” Sales pages, promotional messages and advertisements are generally referred to as “copy.” The difference is pretty significant. Here’s why.
Content informs.
Copy sells or motivates an action. For example, “buy my product” or “sign up for our email list.”
Yet, when you embrace a few copywriting techniques into your content, you’re going to find that your content, your articles and blog posts, work better.
They’ll sound better.
They’ll generate an emotional response – they’ll make your reader feel and have a reaction. That’s great!
And if you’re following a content plan and ensuring that each article or blog post has a specific goal then you’re also going to see a better conversion.
Let’s look at three copywriting tricks or tactics and how you can use them in your content.
#1. Grabbing Them by the Eyeballs
What’s the first thing you see when you’re reading an article or blog post? If you read like most people then you see the headline.
The headline is probably the most important element of your content. If it stinks, if your headline is boring or confusing, then no one is going to read your article.
But, if it is compelling and grabs your readers by the eyeballs then they’re going to read. You’ve got ‘em! Here are some of the tricks copywriters use to create attention grabbing headlines.
- Ask a question – Are You Tired of Working Hard and Making Peanuts?
- Make a promise – Double Your Income in 60 Days!
- Arouse curiosity – Surprising Tactics to Double Your Income in 60 Days.
- Appeal to emotions – Stop living Paycheck to Paycheck – 60 Days to Financial Freedom
- Use numbers – Ten Ways to Boost Your Income in 60 Days.
- Make an announcement – New Book Shows You How to Double Your Income by New Years.
When you’re writing your articles and blog posts, spend a few minutes on the headline. Test and track different methods to see what your audience responds to.
#2. A Call to Action
Within any sales copy you’ll see a call to action. It’s the “Buy Now” or “Subscribe” sentence that tells the reader what they should do next. Ideally, every piece of content you create will have some sort of goal. Maybe you want to drive traffic to a web page.
Maybe you’re promoting an affiliate product. Maybe you want to build your email list. Including a call to action at the end of your article will boost results. After all, if you don’t tell your readers what you want them to do you can’t be upset when they don’t do it.
#3. Show Your Readers, Help Them Understand
Use examples in your writing. Tell stories, even if you have to make them up. When your content becomes something your readers can relate to, it makes it much easier for them to understand. They’ll have an emotional reaction to your content. This is good. It means they’ll comment. They’ll take action. They’ll make a purchase or sign up for your email list. And they’ll come back to your site for more content.
Content and copy have two different goals and purposes. Yet using some copywriting tricks definitely improves your content. It engages your reader and pulls them into your website. They become part of your community, and community is a good thing 
Until next time,
Be good to yourself!
James
