The best product, whether it’s a digital or a physical one, can go completely unnoticed without proper copywriting. Writing words that sell is crucial for the success of eCommerce.
And that’s why billions of dollars have been spent trying different copywriting formulas. So much so that we can safely consider copywriting a science. Understanding copywriting at a deep level can skyrocket a new business’ yearly revenue.
Let’s get started with this guide for eCommerce copywriting.
Copywriting is the occupation of writing sales texts — or sales copy — for blogs, emails, social media posts, or ads for marketing purposes.
These advertising texts consist of three main sections:
Additionally, these pieces of content often use frameworks to create a more compelling article. For example, we have the popular AIDA framework — the initials for attention, interest, desire, and action. Other successful eCommerce copywriting frameworks are pain-agitate-solution and before-after-bridge.
You could think the body copy is the pivotal part of a sales copy, being the longest of the three. However, it is the headline where you should invest more time. The famous David Ogilvy said we should 80 cents out of one dollar writing the headline.
Why so? Because more than 70 percent of online readers only read the headline before turning their attention to the next ad. Here are some tips for writing headlines that get clicks:
The how-to and question headlines are among the people’s favorites on social media and landing pages.
We can divide the body paragraph into three main sections: the introduction, the supporting sentences, and the closing.
To begin with, YOUR INTRODUCTION SHOULD FOLLOW YOUR HEADLINE IN THE SENSE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD WANT TO KEEP READING AFTER THE FIRST SENTENCES. For this purpose, you can cite a shocking statistic, make a bold claim, or ask a compelling question.
The introduction is the first impression customers have with your ad, so it is worth it to make it memorable.
Moreover, THE REST OF YOUR BODY COPY MUST SHOW THE READER WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM. Every supporting sentence must cover one idea. Use short sentences (between 5-20 words) to describe what makes your product or brand unique. Remember, there are thousands of similar businesses competing with you.
At last, YOU WANT TO LEAD YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENTS TOWARD HITTING THE “BUY NOW” BUTTON. That’s the closing of the copy.
The difference between eCommerce copywriting and literature is that copy entices readers toward taking action.
Here are some indispensable suggestions to follow when writing the body of your copy:
Also, remember that you are writing to your readers. Use their language and talk about them — not your brand.
The short answer is: as long as it should be. You don’t want to leave any valuable information behind.
Think about it this way, if you were the customer, you would want all your objections addressed before spending your hard-earned money.
The call-to-action (often referred to as CTA) is the paragraph where the prospects learn where to click to make a purchase. Usually, there is a large, bright-colored button with the words “Buy Now” or something similar.
However, there are guidelines to help convert as many potential customers as possible. For example:
The fear of missing out (FOMO) is one of the copywriters’ most effective persuasion tools. Making your offers scarce by saying “only 99 left” or “valid until Sunday at midnight” often leads to numerous conversions. If people think there’s a chance to delay the risk of making the purchase, they will postpone it.
To wrap up your offer, you can give away something for free (a guide, a one-week trial) as a sign of guarantee and reciprocity for the prospect’s purchase.
