5 easy writing tricks for better DIY Copy
Good copywriting is a VERY important, but often overlooked, part of online business. If you really think about it, almost every single thing you do in business requires some form of writing: blog posts, websites, social media captions, emails, ads, SEO— everything! So, even if you feel like writing “isn’t your thing,” it’s worth taking the time to get it right.
We chatted with Kira from Handle & Hone, who let us in on a few easy-to-implement writing tricks for better DIY copy. These 5 copywriting tips should help you feel confident writing stronger copy that leaves a lasting impression on your future clients and customers.
#1 Figure Out Your Ideal Client
It’s good business to write directly to your ideal client: the person that your products or services are designed around. It’s important to get specific about this and to dig deep when figuring it out, because the person you’re speaking to should be the main influence when deciding what to write.
Think about it: You’d likely create and share different content for someone coming to you as a mom looking for parenting advice than you would for someone coming to you as a lawyer looking for accounting services, right?
So, when it’s time to start creating content for your business, figure out exactly who you want to talk to and how they want to be talked to. Then, write your copy specifically for them.
To do this, you’ll want to know:
Where this person hangs out
What their biggest struggles are
How they feel about the work you do and the problem it solves
What types of words they use
How they describe themselves
What they like to do in their free time
Your ideal client is your new (imaginary) best friend. Get to know them so well that you can basically have full-on conversations with them in your head!
(PS, we talk more about “defining your ideal client” in our free course “5 Steps to DIY Your Dream Website” so check that out if you want to learn more!)
#2 Start With An Outline
Yep, you heard me. Go back to your high school English class roots and start by creating your outline. I know it can feel like an unnecessary step, but starting with the end in mind ensures that you’re delivering a full picture when you sit down to write. And, it lets you be proactive as compared to a “stream of consciousness” approach, which will only ever include what comes to you in the moment.
To create an outline, ask yourself:
What is your working title or heading?
If it’s a blog post, what subtopics do you want to hit?
If it’s a web page, what subsections of copy need to be developed?
What points will you include within each section?
Then, before you finalize your outline, give it a once-over with your ideal client in mind. Did you answer all of their questions? What else might they need? Once you feel confident that you’ve served them well, you can move on to the writing phase.
#3 Use Free Online Tools
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: writing is an open-book test! You don’t need to have perfect grammar and syntax down in order to write, and you don’t need to “just know” a ton of cool words.
Before you start writing, open these three online tools in other tabs:
Thesaurus
You shouldn’t be using the same words over and over in your writing (I’m looking at you great, super, really, and amazing!). An online thesaurus can help with that.
Using an online thesaurus to find synonyms for words that you find yourself relying on heavily is an easy way to breathe new life into your copywriting game.
WordHippo
Ever find yourself wondering, “What’s another way to say ____?” Well, that’s exactly what WordHippo helps you with. Type in any word or phrase and WordHippo will inspire you with synonyms that you might never have thought of otherwise. This is SUCH a fun tool to use when writing because it gets you out of your writing comfort zone. It is *the* easiest way to add life and energy to your words!
I asked WordHippo for another way to say “fizzy,” and it gave me...
Bubbling
Carbonated
Effervescent
Sparkling
Aerated
Foamy
Boiling
Frothy
Frizzante
Effusive
Volatile
...and so many more!
Dictionaries
The last tab you need to keep open is the trustworthy online dictionary. Even if you know what a certain word is, a quick dictionary check can give you the peace of mind of knowing you’re using it properly. Double-check any word you’re unsure of, or that you don’t use all that frequently—especially if you got it from the online thesaurus or WordHippo!
#4 Edit, Edit, Edit
Quiz: what’s the WORST thing you can have on your site when it comes to writing?
Too much copy? Nope.
Not enough copy? Nope.
Awful formatting? Nope.
This one horrible, terrible, no-good thing ruins your credibility faster than all of those other things COMBINED.
What is it you ask?
It’s the dreaded typo.
Scary, right? Because it happens to the best of us. But, it’s true. Sadly, even the BEST websites and the BEST writers sometimes shoot themselves in the foot by posting or publishing content with typos and mistakes (I’m sure I have about a million combined in my blog posts 😬). So whenever you write anything, edit, edit, edit it.
If you can, plan to write one day and edit the next. Fresh eyes go a long way! Bonus points if you can get someone else to read over your work before it goes live.
You can also download something like Grammarly, which is a free online spelling/grammar checker plugin, it’s pretty darn handy.
#5 Read It Out Loud
This last tip goes hand-in-hand with editing: read your copy out loud. This is the best way to make sure your copy flows, makes sense, and truly sounds like you. As they say, “conversational is the new professional,” so if you wouldn’t say something you’ve written out loud to a friend, then you need to re-write it.
Ready to write some copy for your website?
You can either DIY it or hire a professional.
If you are DIYing it, make sure to really take the tips we just talked about seriously. Copy can be a huge make or break, and if you’re DIYing you want to do it right! We’ve got another post on 5 Copywriting Tips for Business Owners that has some more handy tips too. Be sure to check it out!
Also, if you purchase one of our Squarespace Template Kits you will get a DIY website copy workbook which gives you tips and prompts for more developing copy for the most common website pages on your website.
If you decide you want to outsource your copywriting, our biz bestie Kira over at Handle & Hone is seriously awesome at it. She’ll help you figure out how to say all the right things to all the right people, in a way that resonates, engages, and converts. If you’re ready to hire a professional, she’s your gal!
Loved this post? Check out the posts below for some of our favorite small biz tips and tricks!
Social Media Metrics: The Basics! What is the bare minimum you should be tracking and why
How to Create an Organic Pinterest Marketing Strategy for your biz
How to Leave Etsy and Start a Shop with Squarespace (and why you should!)
How to Grow your Business and get Clients with Instagram in 2022
How to get Started with Email Marketing: a Simple Guide for Beginners
Creative Ways to Promote Affiliate Links (& Make More Passive Income!)
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