5 Copywriting Tips for Beginners

Most beginners find copywriting a daunting task. Then they find out how much professional copywriters charge and decide that they'd better learn at least the basics of the craft otherwise they won't have a bank balance left. These tips will help you improve your copywriting skills.

1. Create a Headline

If you're not sure about this, at least put a few words together as a draft headline and come back to your title at a later stage.

Sometimes I'll do that and, on the handful of occasions that I do so, a headline usually leaps out at me from the rest of the copy.

But my preferred way is to start with a headline as that keeps me on track for the rest of the copy.

Check the web for headline suggestions and even sites that will generate reasonably decent headlines for you when you've filled in a few blanks.

2. Consider a sub headline next

If you're writing a sales letter rather than just a web page then a sub headline normally comes next.

It's the next logical stage because it's next on the page.

And, again, it helps keeps your focus when you're writing the rest of the copy.

3. Write your sub-headings

Sub headings are the things that help to visually break up your article as well as allow readers who are impatient a short cut through your copy.

In this article, I've numbered them but that's by no means essential. Once you've written a few pieces of copy you'll start to get a gut instinct as to whether numbering is appropriate.

Whether they're numbered or not, sub headings are a great place to continue your copywriting.

They serve two main purposes:

• They keep your letter in logical error
• They help to stop you from missing important parts

And a third purpose: it's a lot easier to write a few paragraphs about each sub-heading than it is to write a massive amount of copy with only the help of a blank screen.

They're the ideal solution to overcoming writer's block and if your copy is likely to be really long - maybe several thousand words - then it can even pay to further split them down so that the bulk of your writing is as easy as possible.

4. Write the rest of the body copy

If you've followed the tips earlier, this should be easy.

Focus on benefits more than features - take a leaf from Amazon's site where the technical details of products (features) are there if you want them but aren't the prime purpose of the page.

Write naturally.

Use short sentences and lots of white space.

It's visually a lot easier on people and makes even the longest copy seem a lot less daunting to read.

Abbreviations are OK so long as they're in regular use.

Spell out acronyms and maybe consider hyperlinking to a pop up for anything your intended audience may not necessarily be totally confident about. There are plenty of plugins for WordPress that allow that- either the same as the "?" icons you see on technical sites or just hover-over text.

5. Read your copy, ideally out loud

Proof readers earn their money by spotting other people's mistakes.

Early in your career, you probably won't have the luxury of a proof reader or editor.

Which means that you should read your copy through.

The absolute best way to do this is out loud. Things literally sound different that way - try it if you don't believe me.

Second best is to read it in your head.

Ideally, leave a time gap between your writing and your proof reading.

This gives your brain a better chance to process the nuances that can make or break your copy.

But if time isn't on your side, read it through as soon as it's written.