Can I make a confession? When I started writing, I was no Shakespeare. I wasn’t even a Hemingway. In fact, I was downright awful. I could have used this blogger writing tips.
Like many of you, I didn’t get any kind of degree in writing. I didn’t shine in high school English. I never entertained dreams of being a best-selling author.
As Vladimir Nabokov put it, “writing is rewriting.” The greatness comes not from the initial spark of inspiration, but from the long hours spent honing it down to reveal its core. But before you do that, you need to dare to be crap and produce the first draft.
In other words, writing is work. As in most things, talent is overrated. You produce good work not from having a knack for a clever turn of phrase, but by putting in the effort to express your ideas clearly.
And my first posts online proved it.
But over time, I started realizing how important writing is in business. (Spoiler alert: it’s super important.)
So I studied, practiced a lot, and got better. I’m still no Shakespeare, but I’ve learned a lot about writing. Writing isn’t a talent—it’s a skill. A skill you can develop, refine, and improve.
Becoming a great copywriter isn’t easy, but if you consistently work on your writing, your writing will get better and better.
Here are 19 writing tweaks that will propel you to copywriting mastery.
Focus on your headings
Legendary marketer David Ogilvy is famous for saying,
On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.
Take a lesson from the master, and create the best titles and headings possible. Whether you’re writing the main headline on a landing page or an email subject line, put some serious thought into it.
Write shorter sentences
Short sentences are powerful.
While you shouldn’t try to make every sentence short, you should use them to break up the text. No one wants to read a sentence that’s two paragraphs long.
Short sentences catch your readers’ attention. They’re easier to digest, and they help readers move through the content easily.
Employ single sentence paragraphs
A single sentence paragraph can do a lot.
When you use a single sentence paragraph on its own, you draw attention to it. Your readers will know that’s an important point to remember.
If you want your readers to listen up and remember something, make that sentence into its own one-line paragraph.
Bold or italicize important statements
If there’s something you want your readers to remember, make it bold.
A personal story can turn a good article into a great one. If you’re writing about SEO and you tell readers how it helped you, they’ll be more likely to try it themselves.
Personal stories help build personal connections with your readers. They’ll see that you’re just like them, and they’ll be willing to listen to you.
Use unique CTAs
To be blunt, a “Buy now” button is boring. So is “Join.” And don’t even get me started on “Click here.”
Use your call to action to give your readers something different. A great CTA lets readers know what they’re getting, and it gives them a great reason to click on it.
Treehouse has a great CTA on its homepage:
Use other people’s stories
I love using real-life examples in my writing. When I include stories about how influencers have benefited from something, my readers understand how powerful it is.
Using others’ success stories lets your readers know you’re not full of hot air. If you know that something works, use stories to prove it.
When it comes to writing articles or blog posts, you absolutely have to start with a strong statement. Tell your readers why they should keep reading.
I’m a big fan of using the first few sentences to relate to readers by addressing their concerns.
But you can also say directly what the post is about. Brian Dean from Backlinko does this a lot:
Doesn’t that make you want to read more? You immediately know why the article is going to be superb.
No matter what you do with the beginning of a post, make sure you connect with the reader right off the bat.
Speak your readers’ language
Take a look at past comments from readers. How do they write? Do you see any common phrases popping up?
Use this information to improve your writing. By literally using your readers’ language, you’ll make it easy for them to relate.
Stay actionable
There’s nothing wrong with theory—in theory, that is.
When you write an article without giving one actionable tip within it, it’s hard to take that article seriously. Your readers have no way of knowing whether you’re sharing good information.
In each post, aim to include several actionable tips your readers can use today. Sprinkle them throughout the text so readers get new advice with each section.
Employ a thesaurus
Ever notice you tend to use the same words over and over again? Or have you found yourself looking for the perfect word to use? You need a thesaurus.
Having a thesaurus is ideal for finding new words to introduce into your writing.
Now please, don’t use a thesaurus to try to find big, sophisticated-sounding words.
Simpler words are almost always better. But if you can’t think of a simpler word, maybe the thesaurus will help.
Bookend important points
You were probably taught that you should start a paragraph by introducing the main idea (a.k.a. a topic sentence). I’ll go a step further and say you should talk about your main idea in the first and last sentences of a paragraph.
People will remember information better if they see it more than once. By talking about your main point both at the beginning and at the end of a paragraph or section, you’re making that idea stick in your readers’ heads.
Be brutal when editing
Rough drafts aren’t called rough drafts for nothing. You may have a great idea, but without editing, you won’t make your writing the best it can be.
There’s a saying in writing: “Kill your darlings.”
The point is not to become too emotionally attached to your writing. Don’t keep something because you think it sounds nice.
Be honest and unbiased. Cut out filler words, remove lazy phrases, and shorten any novel-length sentences.
Use you vs we or us
Guess what? Your copy shouldn’t be about you. It should be about the customer.
Don’t fall victim to the “all about us” copywriting trap. Show your readers how they’ll benefit.
Use transitions
Transitions wi;ll help.
No one likes to be hit over the head with something.
If you’re going from one topic to another, use a transitional phrase or sentence to make the shift smooth.
One great method is to connect the current section with the next one. Ramit Sethi uses this approach often:
Leverage lists
Lists are fantastic. They break down information into smaller chunks, and the format makes it a breeze to read.
If you’re packing a ton of information within a paragraph, consider making it into a list. Numbered lists work well for processes, and bullet points are ideal for everything else.
Eliminate buzzwords
It’s tempting to use jargon because it’s so widespread. But the truth? Most of the time, it comes across as vague filler text.
You might want to write a post called:
“Creating a Streamlined Process for Creating a Dynamic Funnel,”
but it’s more direct to title it:
“How to Get More Customers Fast.”
There’s a time and place for buzzwords, but don’t go over the top with them.
Keep it focused
Writing about sales? You could go into all sorts of topics, from marketing to public speaking.
But it’s important to narrow that scope so you don’t lose readers by going on tangents.
Keep everything on topic. Don’t talk about another subject unless it’s relevant. If you do talk about something else, keep it short.
End with a bang
My absolute favorite way to end an article is to include a question that engages my readers.
I like interacting with my readers and getting them involved. Asking an open-ended question is a great method of doing that.
End your articles with questions that start a conversation, and respond to comments. You’ll create a strong community, and your readers will appreciate it.
The bottom line
You don’t need years of study to become a master copywriter.
But you do need to practice.
And you need to practice a lot.
Your writing will only get better if you take the time to refine it. Every day, make it your goal to write something, even if it’s not much. You might be surprised to see how quickly your wordsmithing improves.
