Key Copywriting Tips for Different Platforms
Would you talk to your grandma at the dinner table the same way you’d talk to your buddies in the middle of a heated basketball game? I hope not. There’s a time and place for everything. You can remain authentic while using different language around different people. You wouldn’t explain the basics of quantum physics to 15-year-olds the same way you would to college students in a prestigious university. And you wouldn’t have to teach children to use their imagination the way you would to adults who have lost their touch with the magic of life. You can use slang and colloquial language when texting or even writing social posts, but it would be too informal for an essay or e-book.
Which is why I’m here. Your favorite freelance copywriter. To give you key copywriting tips for different platforms. LIVE from Los Angeles, let’s go!
Email copywriting
Although emails are often perceived as corporate and formal writing, the game is changing. Emails are much more likely to be read when language isn’t too salesy, and it feels like a friend wrote it. Think about all the businesses in your inbox. Which ones do you consistently do business with? Likely it’s the brands that you have an emotional connection to.
However, industry matters here! E-commerce emails can be more playful with sales and discount offers than emails coming from a realtor talking about the current interest rates.
Finding this balance is key. An email copywriter knows how to speak to audiences in different industries AND how to approach different “audiences” for the same client! It sounds easy, but the professionals in any field—if they’re any good—make the game look easy! So, leave it to the pros and watch your business grow!
2. Blog writing
A food or lifestyle blog can have more colloquial language than a blog about finance. So this one heavily relies on the industry a blog copywriter is writing for. Blogs are usually meant to educate, enhance SEO optimization, help with link building, display expertise and thought leadership, and serve as content on websites and social media. For blogs to perform well, a blog copywriter must also understand SEO and work with a technical marketer to backlink the posts. And to make the posts interesting to read, and readers coming back for more, creativity and storytelling go a long way.
3. Website copywriting
Poets make the best website copywriters. That’s because website copy requires very short form content AND personality! Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. And of you. Don’t make it yourself if you don’t have the skills to. And don’t go cheap on hiring a professional copywriter to write the copy for you. Everyone thinks their writing skills are game because they speak the language. But you can’t compare written and verbal communication—especially when it comes to professional writing! Trust me, writers and nonwriters all know when a website is NOT written by a professional writer. We see the typos. We notice incorrect grammar. The subconscious level of trust people have in your business—and in you—is directly correlated. Schedule a complimentary consult call with me if you need new or updated website copy.
4. Social media
This is the texting of advertising. You don’t even need to finish sentences with periods 😉 Emojis can take their place ❤️ Like these 😇
You can use #hashtags that combine words in your sentences like, #mondaymotivation. Like poetry, you can break the rules of grammar on social media. But also, like poetry, you must have mastered the rules to be able to break them. Something else to keep in mind, however, is your industry. Someone who’s advertising makeup can be much more playful in their social media copy than someone in healthcare, trying to help people heal chronic pain. This is where a professional freelance copywriter who understands this comes in!
5. Whitepapers and e-books
The opposite of social media—whitepapers and e-books require more formality and completely correct grammar. Whitepapers are used to educate people on how a certain product or technology works. They are persuasive and informative and often used in B2B marketing.
E-books can vary in genre; but like a printed book, require formal language, perfect grammar, and storytelling skills.
These are the top copywriting tips for just some of the platforms out there. Of course, there are so many more. The important thing to remember is that professional copywriters understand the differences between each platform and will get you the best results for your business. Email me directly or fill out a contact form to schedule a complimentary call and discuss your business needs.