Your copy is a massive piece of the conversion puzzle.

If you want to successfully take a potential client or customer alllllll the way from the start of their buyer’s journey to the final point of whipping out their card to make a purchase (woohoo!), you need to know how to work your words justttt right. 

This is where copywriting comes in.

As a quick refresh, copywriting is selling a product or service or increasing brand awareness through the use of thoughtfully crafted words. You’ll find copywriting in email marketing, website pages, social media, and more traditional media like TV and magazines. 

Now, let’s slightly switch gears and dig into one of my favorite topics—conversion copywriting.

What is conversion copywriting?

Simply, conversion copywriting is written with a very specific focus or goal in mind—you want to convert readers as they’re engaging with your content/immediately.

Here are some examples of conversions (as it relates to online business):

1. Clicking a call-to-action button.
2. Making a phone call or booking a consultation.
3. Filling out an online form or survey.
4. Placing an item in an online shopping cart.
5. Subscribing to a newsletter or opting into a freebie.
6. Sharing an offer on social media or creating user-generated content.
7. Navigating to a different page of your website.

 

 

There are countless ways you can weave conversion copywriting into your marketing strategy so let’s talk about the how-to!

How to Write Copy That Converts

1. Don’t Forget the Discovery/Research Phase

All good copywriting requires research. Conversion copywriting is no different. 

To write copy that converts, you need to be able to speak the language of your ideal customer. Through your discovery (or research) phase you’ll begin to identify the needs of your audience, the benefits your product or service offers, what previous clients have said about it, and the unique selling proposition of the offer (what makes it better than other available options).

By doing your homework and conducting hella stellar research, you’ll not only be able to better understand how your offer clears the hurdles of your ideal client’s objections, but you’ll also be able to articulate it and demonstrate that transformation in a way that resonates with your audience.

Remember, the goal of conversion copywriting is to make your audience take immediate action. Copywriting that is well researched will speak your readers’ language and apply just enough tension to convert him/her.

 

 

2. Determine the End Goal

Establishing the end goal of your copy is a key aspect of converting your audience. With the end goal in mind, you’ll be able to ensure that every sentence you write leads your reader on the journey to taking the action.

For example, think about sales page copywriting. The goal of this copy is to convince the audience to enroll for a program, purchase a course, or make some sort of investment in your offer. 

By keeping this goal in mind as you write your copy, you can fully focus on this action with minimal distractions. 

Pro Tip: Be sure to avoid confusing them with other CTAs (like signing up for a freebie or subscribing to your email list on the same page). 

3. Know Where Ya Buyer’s At

Conversion copywriting needs to be written to reflect the journey of your ideal customer. There are three stages of the buyer’s journey:

1. Awareness
2. Consideration
3. Decision

 

 

When a customer is in the awareness stage, they’re realizing or becoming more aware that they have a problem (aka pain point). At this stage of the journey, your copy should assist them in fully recognizing their problem and really feelin’ the pain. This way, they’ll be more primed to hop on your offer when you introduce your product/service as the solution.

Customers in the consideration stage are beginning to take action to fix the problem. This is where your copy should showcase the benefits and features of your offer. The consideration stage is where you want to really demonstrate how your offer will solve the issue and the transformation that will take place. 

Finally, customers in the decision stage are…

1. Aware of their specific problem 
2. Understand what you have to offer

Now, it’s time to seal the deal. Your main goal at this stage is to convince your reader to choose your offer over the competition. 

In this stage, your copy will be aimed at building trust with your readers. To do this, show them some stats of your results, share a few testimonials from happy clients/customers, present case studies, or whatever you need to do to “prove” that you are legit.

4. Nail Your Headlines

Here’s the thing: eight out of 10 people will read a headline, while only two out of 10 people will click through, according to CoSchedule. Your headline matters.

You’ve probably seen plenty of copywriting that includes clever wordplay or is written in a way that feels humorous or relatable. This is all fine and dandy. However, when it comes to conversion copywriting, these ‘dad joke’ types of phrases are typically a no go as they can cloud your messaging. So, avoid this type of writing in your headlines.

Remember, the goal of conversion copywriting is to get readers to take immediate action. For this reason, it’s crucial that you keep things clear and concise in your headlines.

Headlines that will be most successful will effectively communicate what your offer is and how it solves your specific ideal customer’s problem.

Using common language rather than technical terms or jargon, you can avoid boring conversion copy that doesn’t resonate with your audience. Basically, write like you speak. 

Pro Tip: When in doubt, plug your headline into CoSchedule’s headline analyzer to see what you need to improve. 

5. Get Specific With Your Calls to Action

Remember in the intro to this blog post I told you conversion copywriting is all about getting your readers to act immediately? This all comes down to your call to action. 

In order for your copy to convert, your call to action needs to be on point. 

One very key component of copy that converts is that the calls to action are clear and represent the end goal. 

For example, an Instagram caption with a goal of having readers click the link in your bio for more information should say exactly that and only that. 

Pro Tip: By asking your audience to take one specific action, you help them avoid analysis paralysis.

If you wanted your audience to click the link in your bio but you also asked them to like the post and share the post and comment on the post and send you a DM, they’re more likely to simply keep scrolling. So keep it simple and make sure your calls to action (wherever they may be) are clear, direct, and free of distractions.

Check out an example of a call to action I wrote for a client’s Instagram post below: 

 

6. Throw in Some Testimonials

 

 

People looove having proof that something has already previously worked for someone in their shoes. 

Incorporating testimonials into your copy not only provides that proof but by relating to the story of similar people, testimonials also allow your audience to instantly envision themselves and their life with your product/service. 

Thoughtful testimonials are also incredibly powerful as they can elicit a feeling of FOMO. When a reader sees a number of people raving about your offer, they don’t want to be left out.

This creates a feeling of exclusivity, leaving your reader wondering what it’s like to be in the group of customers who have benefited from your product.

Testimonials make you look legit, easing the buying anxiety of your target audience. So, another area where testimonials can be particularly useful is when you make a big ask (like asking your audience to make the investment to purchase your offer).

By showing examples of customers who have successfully navigated through the decision to spend the money and subsequently wound up with the desired results, those that are on the fence feel more confident in their decision to spend their hard-earned dollars! 

WHAT NOW?

Here are your three next steps to put the info we just covered into action:

1. Take a look at some of your major pieces of content (maybe your website or a sales page). Does it check off the boxes below?

1. 1. Addresses the reader at a specific stage in the buyer’s journey ✅
   2. Has a strong call to action that aligns with the end goal ✅
   3. Has an enticing headline ✅
   4. Includes powerful testimonials ✅

2. If your copy doesn’t check off the boxes above, either schedule time to completely revamp your work, or book a free Copy Consult call with me!

On our call, we’ll chat about your project, your goals, and how I can help. If we vibe and it feels like a good fit, I can get you in for a VIP Copywriting Day or 1:1 Copy Coaching!

3. Want more resources to help you write copy that converts? Join my free Facebook group, The Conversion Corner for Coaches + Consultants! When you join, you’ll get an exclusive Copy That Converts Care Package (it’s the BEST).