It doesn’t take much effort to find a piece of copy on your phone or in your home. From the moment we wake up we are hit with a continuous stream of adverts, blog posts, captions, directory listings, emails – copy literally is everywhere. But for any writer, the tricky part is pinpointing what makes a good piece of copy good. And why.

In my own writing, I keep things simple and focus on what I want to achieve through my copy. If I am writing a client pitch, I need to persuade through precise and punchy wording. This is very different from writing an Instagram caption where I can choose a few or many words to engage with other accounts and spark their interest.

The trick is to keep your purpose in mind, whether you are writing to engage, inform, inspire or to sell. Let the words flow and after every draft, read back and place yourself in the reader’s shoes: would you take notice of your own copy – and for the right reasons?

And if you need help getting started, I’ve gathered some do’s and don’ts to help align your writing with your goals.

Writing to engage

  • Spark your reader’s curiosity with a thoughtful question or an interesting angle
  • Build a rapport using words like ‘let’s’ and ‘we’ rather than ‘you’
  • Use humour but make sure it is tailored and appropriate for your reader

Writing to inform

  • Ground your copy in the facts. And make sure you fact-check your facts
  • Use plain language, in other words, minimise your use of adjectives
  • Set aside your personal opinions on something, this is a place for a neutral voice

Writing to inspire

  • Create a flow with your words – take the reader on a journey
  • Paint a picture using evocative language
  • Know when to hold back, some things should be left to the reader’s imagination

Writing to persaude

  • Appeal to the reader’s senses by describing the benefits
  • Weave in key details but remember, this is not a hard sell
  • Aim for a friendly but authoritative voice, you are the expert

Writing to sell

  • Structure your copy around your USPs and be clear about what they are
  • Use short and snappy phrases to catch the scanning eye of a reader
  • Use persuasive language but don’t be pushy

This is by no means a definitive list to write with purpose but I hope my simple do’s and don’ts are a helpful place to start. To learn more about my copywriting service, click here for further details.

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