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When you’ve got traffic coming to your site but it isn’t converting, copywriting tips for conversion optimization can help you turn lookers into buyers.
Why waste time and money modifying marketing campaigns when a few simple tweaks can get more visitors to your shopping cart? It’s unnecessary.
Before you go making costly changes, spend some time optimizing your site for conversions. Fine-tune your copy and test!
Here are three simple things you can do right now.
Tip #1: Make your copy skimmable.
A funny thing happens when people read websites: they don’t actually read. They skim, they scan, and then poof, they are gone. In fact, research conducted on how people read online found that only 16% of users actually read word-for-word!
Perhaps it’s from years of conditioning, where we’ve learned that most of what we see on the Net isn’t worth reading. Perhaps it’s from data overload, where our brains need to take shortcuts in order to process things. Whatever the reason, anyone concerned with conversion optimization should make their content skimmable.
One of the easiest ways to keep readers is by breaking up blocks of text. This can be done by incorporating images, white space, and elements such as:
- headings (use H tags)
- bullet points
- numbers
- italics
- bold
Generally, this will lower your bounce rate and increase time on site, which should increase your conversions. Additionally, Google seems to favor websites with navigable pages and content, so there may be an SEO benefit.
Tip #2: Ditch the marketese.
As a copywriter, your job is to communicate effectively and sell. Your job is not to impress readers with your knowledge of fancy words, or with the way you can weave literary references into your melodious, flowing sentences. Seriously, cut the fluff.
There are actually 2 copywriting tips here for conversion optimization.
- Remove all hyperbole and industry jargon from the copy on your site.
- Simplify and shorten all complicated phrases in your content.
Conversion rates increase when readers feel as though they are being spoken to genuinely. It hurts your credibility when it is clear that your website exaggerates. The only thing “marketese” does for you is waste valuable space on your site.
Some words to remove and replace right away:
- cutting-edge
- unbeatable
- revolutionary
- high-end
- impactful (technically, this isn’t even a word)
You might also want to get rid of these:
- as of this date
- at the end of the day
- across the board
- owing to the fact that
- think outside the box
Tip #3: Skip the math – appeal to the emotions.
This is one of the most often overlooked copywriting tips of all. Perhaps an example will clarify this important tactic for improving your conversion optimization…
This article in The Atlantic cites an interesting study. Basically, it says that the math side of our brains is turned off when we read ad copy. In the study, consumers generally couldn’t tell the difference between the following two offers, even though the second one is better because the consumer gets 50% more coffee.
- Deal #1: Get 33% more coffee.
- Deal #2: Get 33% off the regular price.
What does this mean for you, the marketer? It means that you should adjust your offers. Instead of discounting a product or service, offer more of it (and/or something extra) for the same price. Our brains think qualitatively when we read copy. Let’s consider how one might write to sell a $50 bottle of supplements.
- Ad 1 tells the consumer he or she will enjoy increased energy and get a free e-book on healthy living… plus a free T-shirt.
- Ad 2 tells the consumer the bottle is one-third the price of competitors.
The first statement wins. Why? Because it shows clear benefits. And because when we make purchase decisions, we act emotionally, rather than mathematically.
Conclusion
Conversion optimization can be a technical and time-consuming process. However, the reasons for your low conversions aren’t always complicated. Many times, small changes can have big effects. Put these three copywriting tips to use on your website and landing pages. You may be surprised at the results.
About the Author
Helen Nesterenko is in online marketing and eCommerce business for over 10 years. Writtent.com is the second endeavour she founded in 2013. Writtent.com makes it easy for businesses to find and work with freelance writers.
