Copywriting is one of the most essential pieces of the lead generation puzzle.
Without the right words, your readers may not feel compelled to take action and purchase from your website.
But with some careful consideration and a few small changes, you can avoid these 10 common copywriting mistakes that will keep people from converting:
1. Using sentences that are too long
Readers lose interest when you make them work too hard to understand what your copy is saying.
It’s important that your content flows and is easy to follow along with, without long, run-on sentences.
Longer sentences will not only decrease conversions, but they can also become confusing or difficult to read.
You want to make sure your message is clear and concise. Avoid using jargon or words that people might not understand in favor of simple explanations. Short sentences and bullet points are optimal for the best results when it comes to conversions.
2. Writing without a goal in mind
Before writing any piece of content, ask yourself what your end goal is.
Take some time to think about who your readers are, why they’d want to convert, and what you want them to do after reading your content.
If your copy is all over the place and you don’t have clear goals in mind before writing, it will be much harder to achieve conversions.
If your goal is to get them to sign up for an email list, then the copy must be written with that intention in order for conversion rates to go up.
Once you know your goals and who your target audience is, writing becomes much easier and more effective.
3. Not understanding the language of your audience
The audience you are writing for will determine the tone, language, and content of your copy.
If it is written in a certain way that doesn’t resonate with them or uses words they don’t know, conversion rates will suffer because people will click off.
Researching your audience will help you get inside their mindset and understand what kind of language will resonate best with them.
Different audiences want different things, so it’s important to speak their language if conversions are going to be achieved.
If you don’t take the time to understand who your audience is, conversions will be much harder to come by.
4. Ignoring your prospects’ motivations and desires
People are not going to convert if your copy doesn’t motivate them to take action.
What is it that they’re looking for and how can you show them that you have what they need?
Uncovering their wants and desires will be critical in creating copy that compels them to convert.
If you can tap into what makes your audience tick, then conversions will happen as a result. But if you ignore this step, your copy might not be effective at all.
5. Not implementing social proof
Social proof is one of the most effective ways to increase conversions.
It’s the psychological phenomenon that occurs when people are influenced by the actions of others. This can be in the form of testimonials, reviews, or even just showing how many people have already converted.
When used correctly, social proof can be extremely effective in getting people to take action. For example, have you ever been on a website and seen notifications pop up in the bottom left of the screen saying “John Doe just bought ___”?
This type of social proof is just as effective as seeing a huge line at a brick and mortar store–it makes the consumer wonder what they’re missing out on.
6. Using passive voice
When you use passive voice, your copy sounds weak and uninspiring.
It also takes the focus away from the reader and puts it on the product or service instead.
This can be a major turnoff for readers and make them less likely to convert.
Active voice is much more effective because it’s direct and puts the focus on the reader, all the while sounding more confident and inspiring action.
7. Using “I” language
Consumers are attracted to customer-centric language. They don’t want to read about what your company does. Rather, they want to read about how they can benefit from your company.
That being said, you should always use language that focuses on the reader, not your company. Avoid using the words “I” or “we” unless absolutely necessary.
This makes customers feel like you are speaking directly to them about how they can benefit from your product or service.
8. Using complex vocabulary
While complex vocabulary does make you look more intelligent, it can actually be a turn-off to some. Naturally, most people tend to abandon a page if they’re unable to understand its language.
Make sure you’re using simple, straightforward vocabulary throughout your copy in order to make it accessible to all readers. If your copy is difficult for people to understand, they will be much less likely to convert.
9. Using boring, vague headlines
Your headline is the hook that makes readers click on your content. It’s incredibly hard to attract an audience with a boring headline.
When you use vague headlines, it’s difficult for readers to know what your copy is about. Consumers want to know upfront what it is they’re about to read before they click on it.
Your headlines should be descriptive and concise. This will make readers more inclined to click on your page because they know what the copy is about right away.
Anyone who reads your headline should immediately know what type of content it is before they even click on it.
10. Being generic
Being generic makes your copy unoriginal and recycled.
No one wants to read the same generic story over and over again. Consumers are looking for something fresh that they haven’t read before.
Make sure that you are writing original, unique content throughout your copy in order to stand out from the competition.
By avoiding these mistakes, you can expect your content to start generating conversions again. For help creating valuable content that attracts high-quality leads, schedule a free strategy call with Bizzuka today!