Write better copy: 8 DIY copywriting tips to shine up your business

Have a right bobby dazzler of a business but don’t consider yourself a natural writer? Come on in! You’ve nothing to hide here and you’re certainly not alone.

Tons of great businesses are let down by website copy that just… falls a bit flat. Hiring a professional copywriter to spark things up is a great investment, but that’s not always an option if you’re just starting out and hoping to cut costs.

To share a little secret: the basics of writing good copy aren’t as hard as you think. In fact, you can polish yours up considerably with just a handful of copywriting tricks.

Are you saying, ‘Not happening, Corinne! I can’t write for all your finest Cornish fudge.’? Trust me - if you care about your copy and the value it can bring to your brand, you’re already way ahead of the curve (but if you really don’t want to DIY, you could always, y’know, hire a copywriter).

Here are my top DIY copywriting tips - that anyone can do - to get you wordsmithing like a pro.

Tip 1: Write to your ideal customer.

Let’s start with the most classic copywriting tip, and in the interests of keeping it camp, we’ll name our dear customer Babs.

Babs arrives, in all her glory, to your website and she wants to know: ‘How will this product/service improve my life?’ and ‘Is it for me?’

I know - you’re dying to get into your amazing product and the story behind it. But, as you’re writing copy, you should think about Babs, and put her needs first.

• Prioritise Babs’ needs over your brand story. Babs is into the solution to her particular problem and what she’ll get for her dollar - not the history of your CEO or their ‘eureka moment’ and when it struck. Your origin story is definitely important (About pages are my jam) but it can come later on.

• Consider Babs’ needs alongside your features. The features of your ‘thing’ are why you stand out, and what makes you special. But if your copy only describes features, our Babs won’t be 100% sure on whether she wants or needs it.

  ‘The streamlined design of our ergonomic umbrella’ may well be groundbreaking - but so what?

  …What will it do for Babs when she’s rushing to work in the relentless British winter?

  …How will her rainy commutes be transformed?

Humanise your copy. If you’re speaking to Babs directly, with her perspective in mind, she will then pay attention to what else you have to say.

Tip 2: Write like you speak (no jargon, thanks).

Lots of business copy seems to have rolled out on a conveyor belt of corporate guff, full of words like utilisation and competencies and leveraging (zzzz). Chat GPT loves these words too, it has no taste.

Of course, whether jargon is passable depends on who the copy is for; a B2B article, for example, may need a lot of industry terminology. But more often than not, those vague buzzwords can be binned 👋.

The same goes for overly dense vocabulary - using words like pellucidity instead of clarity, for example, will just confuse or bore your potential customers*.

Ask yourself: how would you explain your product or service to someone who had no idea?

You’d say it clearly and simply. Because that’s what works.

(*Not you, Stephen Fry. You can write however you like.)

Tip 3: Avoid clichés and empty sayings.

To avoid your copy falling on deaf ears, it’s important to think outside the box. Early bird catches the worm, so make hay while the sun shines…

…and rid your copy of almost all clichés.

Hey, I’m guilty of the old cliché sometimes. But clichés depict a universal, everyday truism…. so by definition, they have been used again and again and again. Too many clichés and your copy becomes white noise - customers will skim right over your words. Not what you want!

Instead, just say what you mean. Or try an original, clear analogy.

Tip 5: Pile on that intrigue.

At this point, why should Babs ✌️ stick around and click around? Because you’ve spoken directly to her, shared just enough juicy info up front… and left a Call to Action that invites her in to the party.

Intriguing your potential customers, rather than info-dumping, is a more boundaried way of connecting with them. No one wants to feel overwhelmed or sold to - but man, do we like having our curiosity peaked.

This is a delicate balance to strike; you don’t want your customers baffled by the mystery of your copy, but you do want them to be highly intrigued by what you’ve already told them. So intrigued, that they follow/subscribe/click on through.

Tip 6: Always edit the first go.

You may think your first drafts are great, but even the shiniest of work can be improved with an edit - usually after you’ve let it rest for a day and come back to it in the morning with fresh eyes.

A few good rules of editing? Research all facts and stats a couple of times. No exclamation marks. Try using fewer words than you think you need.

Tip 7: Read it out loud.

Reading out loud is a good trick when you’re stuck in the editing process. The action itself seems to automatically ring an alarm bell over the errors you couldn’t first detect. It’s magic, really.

Generally, if it works when read aloud, it works, full stop.

But if some words trip you up, or worse, you bore yourself - then it’s time to get out your red pen.

Tip 8: Have fun! For real!

Copywriting - fun? YES, if you let it be! So many businesses are so serious. Play with your words. Unleash your imagination, let it run naked across fields of wheat… then harness its power to hit your copywriting and business goals right in the Google.

All I’m saying is you don’t have to always sound super professional. You can be funny, and you can take risks.

Now, you’re ready.

You go! You multi-talented DIY copywriter, you.

If you’d like some help from a professional copywriter, or would like me to sense-check some DIY copy for you, get in touch for a one-to-one session.

Photo by Shadi Kimchi on Unsplash