4 Persuasive Copywriting Techniques that Boost Conversions
Persuasive copywriting, unlike its indirect response counterpart, is all about pushing for immediate action. Instead of establishing brand awareness, you aim to make your reader do what you are asking them to do by the time they finish reading your copy.
Through persuasive copywriting, you get rewards instantly. The internet has also made it more convenient for you to conduct this type of copywriting due to its online platforms that allow for better monitoring and evaluation.
However, a lot of copywriters still find persuasive copywriting challenging. Perhaps it is time to look at some techniques for content that converts readers into customers. Some of them include:
- Highlight the ROTI!
One of the biggest issues in long-form copy is that it is at risk to the “TL:DR” or “too long; didn’t read” mindset. People online only have so much patience to go through a webpage, with an average of 8 seconds on a page before switching to another or closing the browser window.
Hence, what you should do is show that your copy is worth the time reading. Reassure your audience that they are in the right place, i.e. your landing page.
You can do this by creating content that comes with a balance of visual appeal and substantial information. You may want to construct your content strategically to prevent readers from going away. Some of the ways in which you can do this are:
- adding a catchy but truthful headline
- organising your subtopics in a structured but easy to read manner
- bolding key phrases to make it easier to pull out information
- Make your readers slow down.
Most of your readers don’t read your copy; they just skim through it. You may even consider yourself lucky if they actually scanned through what you wrote. However, they are easily turned off when they see certain clues, such as complicated language, long sentences, and walls of texts. It’s not because you’re not engaging, but more about they feel like they are already being sold.
You can prevent this from happening, not only by being strategic with your copy construction, but by adding markers to refocus your readers’ attention. These include:
- chopping ideas with subheads
- using lists
- adding hyperlinked text
- one-liner statements
- adding images and graphs
These visual markers break the monotony of your post. They also give a breath of fresh air on your copy, as your readers see something new after going through blocks of text.
- Provoke an immediate reaction.
A lot of copywriters think that their copy is complete once they have added a call-to-action. Yet, how can you mobilise your CTA? People don’t simply follow someone else’s orders because they are told to do so. Their response is provoked by their reaction to your call.
What gets your audience startled? What gets catches them off-guard? What will make them say yes? There are several factors that drive them to heed your CTA, such as:
- convenience – if you ask them to share your post, give them social sharing buttons to click right away.
- expert recommendations – give them something more to go through, even if they don’t convert.
- contextual CTAs – put audiences in a specific environment that make them say yes to your offer (leverage on user experience).
- Write in the second person voice.
To persuade someone into doing a specific action, you have put them in a personal and intimate environment. Make them feel as if you two are talking face to face, even if you are just talking to them via an email. You can do this by speaking in the second person voice, i.e. “you.”
Writing in second person breaks walls and opens doors for communication. It also puts the reader in a position where he or she has nowhere else to go but listen to you. Positioning them in this manner is very important because it is where you make them feel like their only way out is by subscribing to your offer.
Once they give in to your CTA, you already have a customer.