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One of my very good friends is openly terrible at writing. I tell her it’s all about practice. She disagrees. We laugh and continue drinking our semi-hot coffees in Banbury town’s finest coffee shop.
Saying that, there are silly mistakes to make when writing copy that can be avoided. Mistakes that are rookie but also, with a bit of common sense, can be left out, meaning the sale may not be lost after all.
Copywriting mistakes
1: Sales copy
We’ll start with sales copy, as that’s known as the bread and butter of copywriting. Anywhere there’s a sales page or promo page, we call it sales copy.
Essentially, good copywriting removes the jargon. The filler and fluff words that are pointless on a sales page. People are BUSY and won’t have the patience to read so many words on a sales page. They are literally skimming to your offer and looking for either the cross to exit or the ‘buy me now’ button.
So, with fresh eyes, leave what you’ve written for your sales page at least overnight, so you can edit in the morning. Remove any words that are over-talking and overcomplicating what you’re trying to say. Effective copy is simple copy. Easy words with short sentences and a spacious layout.
2: Passive voice
It’s one of the biggest errors made by inexperienced writers — using the passive voice. We’re taught it in school and it stays with us.
Interestingly, the passive voice is often used to avoid taking responsibility for what’s written. Sentences are often wishy washy and lack clarity and power.
It’s important to use an active voice if possible, for most of the writing you do on sales pages in particular. This creates clear, concise sentences that help your message get across with impact.
3: Professional copywriter
Which of these two would you click to read more of?
Option A: “Sophie is a professional copywriter who’s proud to work with eco-brands pushing the climate friendly movement forwards. Who’ll better the world and life others, inspiring them to do their bit and save the planet (one person at a time.)”
Option B: “I must say, it’s a choice of mine to work with eco-brands. We are the forerunners. The ones pushing the boat out and speaking up for our universally owned reality. That toxic waste, greenhouses gases, and climate change are all going to impact us on a scale we’ve never envisioned — if we don’t change our behaviour NOW.”
One is written from a first-person perspective, making it more personable. Unless you’re a university professor, do not talk to your customers in a third-person narrative. Be nice! Be human. Be you! Be bold. Say it like it is. And take responsibility like a boss.
4: Not Knowing Your Target Audience
It’s vital to identify who your target audience is and tailor your writing so that it speaks directly to them. Look up keywords and phrases your clients might use to boost your visibility in search engines and understand what topics they engage with.
Skilled writers simply write for a known target.
5: Product benefits
Talk way more about benefits rather than the features of your product. Here’s some examples:
- Feature: It contains olive oil → Benefit: Olive oil deeply moisturises your skin, shrinking wrinkles, taking years off your complexion.
- Feature: It comes in an aluminium bottle → Benefit: No more plastic waste bottles in the bin. Simply refill and reuse as often as you want!
See how this works? Benefits are all about ‘what’s in it for them.’ This is where selling happens. When your copy makes your reader realise what they get from your product, they’ll be more likely to buy it, unless of course, a competitor sweeps them away in one swift move.
I hope this info is super useful to you. Feel free to comment below and ask me anything – believe it or not, I’m a real person!
(Note, this blog post was first published in 2024 on my previous website)
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