Glazing industry copywriter, Helen Savage, explains how to add value to your copy and why it’s so important not to ‘make do’.
Most people can get words down on a page, and now of course we have AI to help us. But how valuable is that copy?
Sometimes we underestimate good copy because it’s so easy to read that we don’t even think about it. It gives us the information we want quickly, and we may even enjoy reading it. But when we come across bad copy, we know it. It jars and you need to re-read sentences to understand their meaning, or there is so much jargon you don’t really know what the author is trying to say.
Copy with added value elevates your voice and is more likely to generate the results you want. Does the marketing copy from your company:
1. Sound like it’s written with experience – it stands to reason that the more experience a writer has in a sector, the better the writing will be. Copy will be more valuable from someone who understands the context of new legislation or market pressures, or someone who appreciates the impact of a particular product launch.
2. Understand the audience – it is impossible to write for everyone. If a press release is appropriate for two sectors it is worth tailoring the press release for both audiences. Otherwise, you might end up with a piece that doesn’t capture the attention of either sector because the message is confused.
3. Talk about the benefits – this may sound obvious but sometimes copy can be so focussed on covering all the new features of a product, it ignores the benefits. Added value copy explains how that list of features benefits the audience.
4. Represent your voice – A common mistake in copywriting, and we’re seeing this more with AI, is writing in a way that is completely different to the way we talk in real life. If you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it! Yes, we need to keep it professional, but sometimes this is taken too far, and words or unnecessary jargon is used that people don’t normally say when talking in conversation.
5. Appeal to the reader – Does your copy accurately reflect the voice of your spokespeople? Does it precisely capture the pain points and needs of the reader? Experience and empathy really help to create engaging copy that adds value by captivating the reader’s attention.
Make a connection
Writing copy is not a quick and easy thing to do. Even with the use of AI the amount of editing needed to fact-check, and to make it sound genuine, rather than a generic amalgamation of everyone else talking about the same subject, takes time and effort. But it’s worth doing it properly. It could make the difference between readers making a connection with you or moving on to a competitor.
