Whether you love to write or not, writing business copy can get off track quickly. It can wander (losing the reader), get too wordy, be too formal, lack flow, scare the grammar police, or sound like an AI robot. Further, what makes sense to the writer may not make sense to the reader. Writing is communication between 2 parties: the sender and the receiver.
If communication breaks down in your digital marketing copy, what happens?
Your potential customer leaves. You can have the best content to share on your topic, but if your reader doesn’t stay and engage with it, it doesn’t matter how great your product or service is; the reader won’t stick around long enough to find out.
Good copy matters. Great copy is even better. You can learn how to write great copy (or learn what it looks like, to know how to hire the right person to do it for you).
5 Ways to Fix Confusing Business Copy
1. Cut the Fluff (Say What You Mean)
Due to nervousness, uncertainty, fatigue and difficulty expressing yourself in writing, your words can wander, or worse, become filler (extra words that don’t add value).
- Get straight to the point in the first 1-3 sentences.
- You can write a one-sentence thesis statement in your introduction (it doesn’t have to be formal), but it is your key statement that tells the reader what your content will be about. It will also help keep your writing focused.
- Set the stage, peak the interest of your reader. This is the beginning of a short journey with your audience. Tell them where you are going and what they will get if they come along for the ride. For example, if you tell them they will get 5 simple tips, make sure they get those 5 tips in a clear, organized structure.
- Take out the industry jargon, fancy vocabulary, and long introductions
Quick Fix Tip: Read your copy aloud as you edit. If you stumble or it doesn’t make sense, you will catch yourself.
2. Make It About Them, Not You
This in fact is one of the most important secrets of good copywriting. You are educating, sharing, introducing, and promising to solve problems for your customers through your services and products. Testimonials are your “look at how I helped my client”. The rest of your written copy needs to focus on your audience’s pain points, struggles, wishes, and hopes for transformation and growth.
- In truth, your clients care about their problems, are searching for pain relief and solutions. Your digital marketing copy and content must be the answers to those needs.
- Count the number of “you’s” and “I’s” in your marketing writing. Look for more “you’s” and “I’s.”
- Be authentic, even if it is sales copy you are writing. You are not pushing your wants on the customer but showing how you can help.
Quick Fix Tip: Highlight the benefits, not just the features.
3. Use Clear, Conversational Language
If you are newer to writing or have difficulty expressing yourself in words, finding your rhythm to write conversationally and to the point will come in time. Don’t be hard on yourself whatsoever. This tip highlights bringing the human into the language you use.
What I’ve learned: When I finished grad school in business, I had spent 24 months writing non-stop, thousands of words a month in a very formal, academic and proper tone. Think tight rubrics in length, perfecting academic referencing, and pouring over 25-page journal articles day after day. That was me! I started writing in digital marketing soon after school finished and learned quickly that I needed to change my style (unless I was looking to get published in a journal).
If I could do it, I know you can grow and adapt in your writing if you need to, beginner or advanced writers included. What do I mean by that? Look at the type of document you are preparing. Is it a website? A social media post? An academic research paper? A blog or newsletter? Each has its own unique style.
Quick Fix Tip: An editor or tools like ChatGPT can help spot awkward phrases.
4. Structure the Document for Visual Scanning
Writing for digital marketing means recognizing that most people who land on your copy will skim – they don’t want to get tripped up in detail as they don’t have time. Therefore, structure your writing layout and language to enable scanning the document. It doesn’t mean skimp on the value; rather, make it visually appealing and easy to follow.
How to make it easier for readers
- Use headlines, subheadings, bullet points, and bold highlights
- Create white space by breaking up longer blocks of text
- Avoid heavy, dense text (this will vary somewhat – an academic research paper will need heavier, denser analysis and rigour, but doing that on a website page will ensure your reader leaves)
- Use infographics and images where appropriate
- Use easy-to-read fonts, and be consistent in size with title, heading, subheading and paragraph text. Don’t mix too many fonts – it is distracting and confusing visually – generally 2 fonts – one for headers and titles and one for detailed text. Keep script fonts to a minimum or don’t use them – if you do, keep it to a bare minimum and only for signatures, visual highlights, and graphic design.
Quick Fix Tip: If it looks like a wall of words, people won’t read it.
5. Get a Second Set of Eyes (Human or AI)
- A copy editor or writer can professionally polish and simplify your message. A helpful editor who goes the extra mile will give you a few pointers and tips for how to make your writing better.
- AI tools like ChatGPT can give you feedback (copy-paste your document into the AI software and prompt “recommendations on how I can improve my copy”.
- Use software such as Grammarly to check your spelling.
Quick Fix Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for help — great copy comes from practice and a willingness to learn and improve over time.
Don’t Let Confusing Copy Cost You Clients
Your words matter. Clear, relatable business copy converts into sales. Valuable connections are made with your audience through your writing, it is worth investing in your content. Have a look at the 5 tips in this article to improve your copy – take out the filler words, focus on the “you” not the “I”, and make it clear, conversational and well structured. Finally, give it a good edit, and bring in writing or editing help if you are struggling. Next time you write a sales page, blog or social media post, try at least one of the tips above and watch your copy shine!
Need a second set of eyes on your copy? Let’s book a call, I’d love to help!
