{"id":68,"date":"2024-08-06T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-06T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internship.infoskaters.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/06\/8-copywriting-hacks-backed-by-science\/"},"modified":"2024-08-06T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T11:00:00","slug":"8-copywriting-hacks-backed-by-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internship.infoskaters.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/06\/8-copywriting-hacks-backed-by-science\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Copywriting Hacks Backed By Science"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Creator Columns<\/strong>, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator<\/a> voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

I started my marketing career as a junior community marketer. I should have been pretty prepared for the job. I\u2019d spent \u00a350,000 on my marketing degree and four years studying.<\/p>\n

Yet, just a few hours into my first day, I realized I wasn\u2019t well-prepared. I was woefully inept.<\/p>\n

Right after lunch, my manager asked me to create one-pagers, blogs, email subject lines, and case studies. \u201cThis,\u201d he described, \u201cis marketing bread and butter.\u201d And yet, I had no idea where to start.<\/p>\n

My degree claimed I could \u2018do marketing,\u2019 but I had no clue how to write persuasively, convince customers, or use words to catch the eye.<\/p>\n

Yet, all of these new tasks involved persuasive copywriting, something I knew nothing about.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, I quickly discovered behavioral science. I learned how psychology could reveal the secret to persuasive copywriting. Later, I interviewed experts like Richard Shotton, Rory Sutherland, and Jonah Berger, quizzing them on how they write better copy.<\/p>\n

Over a decade, I\u2019ve discovered dozens of copywriting tips that work. A treasure trove of tactics that I wish I\u2019d known all those years ago. So, just in case you\u2019re in the same position as me, here are the eight copywriting tips I wish I\u2019d known when I started in marketing.<\/p>\n

Copywriting Insights I Wish I Had From Day One<\/h2>\n

1. Write Concrete Copy<\/h3>\n

In his book (2023<\/a>), Richard Shotton shared arguably the most important copywriting study.<\/p>\n

In 2021, Richard and his colleagues Mike Treharne and Leo Burnett showed participants vague phrases and concrete phrases and asked them to remember both.<\/p>\n

Concrete phrases, like \u201cfast car,\u201d were recalled with 6.7% accuracy, while abstract phrases like \u201cinnovative quality\u201d were forgotten, with only 0.7% recalled.<\/p>\n\n

There\u2019s a concrete takeaway here. Don\u2019t use vague or abstract terms in your copywriting. Instead, use concrete phrases that readers can visualize.<\/p>\n

This copywriting tactic will not only help with memorability but also boost sales. A 2022 study (cited in Magic Words<\/a>) suggested that changing an Oreo product description from \u201c150 grams per pack\u201d to \u201c15 cookies per pack\u201d increased sales.<\/p>\n

The concrete descriptions made Oreo\u2019s benefits more salient and made customers more likely to buy.<\/p>\n\n

2. Anchor Your Claims<\/h3>\n

Huel, the rapidly growing protein shake company, knows how to use concrete phrases in their ads.<\/p>\n\n

Rather than using technical descriptions (left of the image), they use easy-to-visualize examples like eggs, oranges, salmon filets, and bananas (right of the image).<\/p>\n

But can you spot the other tactic they use?<\/p>\n

Each of their concrete examples acts as an anchor. Readers know salmon filets contain plenty of omega-3, so the anchor makes Huel\u2019s drink seem even more nutritious.<\/p>\n

One study on San Francisco residents (cited in Blindsight<\/a>) found that the average political donator sent $64 to their candidate over the election campaign.<\/p>\n

But simply telling a donor \u201csomeone else offered $400\u201d increases the average to $143. Like Huel\u2019s \u201csalmon filet, ” this anchor changed the donor\u2019s perception and behavior.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/p>\n

Anchor Text: What It Is, Why It’s Important, & How to Optimize It<\/a> <\/p>\n

3. Don\u2019t Hide Effort<\/h3>\n

In 2003<\/a>, researchers Chinander and Schweitzer showed students two different presentations: one on electronic ink and the other on optical switches (both were as dull as they sound).<\/p>\n

Half the students were told that the presentation on electronic ink took eight hours to prepare, while the optical switch presentation took just 30 minutes. The other half were told the opposite: that the optical switch presentation took eight hours to prepare, while the electronic ink pitch was whipped together in 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

In both scenarios, the presentation was the same.<\/p>\n

Hearing that a presentation took longer to prepare made the presentation more engaging. Simply learning that effort went into it made students rate it higher.<\/p>\n

This finding can easily be applied to your copywriting. Simply highlight the work you\u2019ve put in, like I did with this Reddit ad. Tweaking my copy to say, \u201cI\u2019ve spent 480 minutes listening to marketing experts \u2026 Here are the six best marketing lessons I\u2019ve heard,\u201d <\/em>boosted my click-through rate by 45%.<\/p>\n\n

4. Be Very Specific<\/h3>\n

Take a closer look at that last ad. You\u2019ll notice I said \u201c480 minutes,\u201d not eight hours or one working day. I was very specific on purpose.<\/p>\n

A 2006<\/a> study compared ads with non-specific numbers versus ads with specific numbers.<\/p>\n

The researchers Schindler and Yalch found that ads for a law firm performed better when stating it served customers for \u201c10 years\u201d rather than \u201ca decade.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ads suggesting that a fictitious deodorant lasted precisely 47% or 53% longer were deemed more accurate by 199 participants, compared to a non-specific \u201c50% longer\u201d claim.<\/p>\n

Perhaps that\u2019s why Heinz reminds customers of its 57 varieties, while KFC raves about its 11 secret herbs and spices.<\/p>\n\n

Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

5. Present Tense Persuades<\/h3>\n

In 2023<\/a>, best-selling author Jonah Berger ran a study analyzing 500,000 product reviews.<\/p>\n

Jonah and his team compared reviews written in the present tense (\u201cthe soup <\/em>is <\/em><\/strong>delicious\u201d) <\/em>with reviews written in the past tense (\u201cthe soup <\/em>was <\/em><\/strong>delicious\u201d). <\/em><\/p>\n

They discovered that reviews written in the present tense received 26% more helpful upvotes, making readers 12% more likely to buy.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a vital finding that many forget. This Tesla post (reposted by Elon Musk) would have been more persuasive if it mentioned how the company was growing, rather than how it grew.<\/p>\n\n

Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

6. Almost Always Alliterate<\/h3>\n

Participants in one 2022 study (cited in The Illusion of Choice<\/a>) were shown one of two proverbs. Half were alliterating proverbs, the others were non-alliterating proverbs with the same meaning.<\/p>\n

Some participants read that \u201ca break will help you flourish.\u201d <\/em>Others read that \u201ca break will help you blossom.\u201d <\/em>Some read how \u201cbarking dogs seldom wound,\u201d <\/em>while others read that \u201cbarking dogs seldom bite.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Later, the participants were asked to recall the proverbs. The alliterating versions were 22% more memorable.<\/p>\n\n

Maybe that\u2019s why so many companies opt for alliterating slogans. Nestle claims \u201cGood food, good life.\u201d KitKat says, \u201cHave a break, have a KitKat.\u201d While Jaguar tells customers \u201cDon\u2019t dream it. Drive it.\u201d<\/p>\n

But this tip isn\u2019t just for swanky slogans. Expert copywriter Harry Dry shares how to apply this tip on a typical website call to action.<\/p>\n\n

Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Read more:<\/p>\n

27 Copywriting Examples From Businesses With Incredible Copywriters<\/a> <\/p>\n

7. Don\u2019t Fear Negations<\/h3>\n

Negative words like nobody, none, no, nothing, and nowhere attract attention.<\/p>\n

Two researchers in 2022<\/a> analyzed 15,608 posts on Facebook and X and found that posts with negation words gained more engagement.<\/p>\n

A tweet promoting a newsletter was 17.8% more effective if a negation was used, while a negation-packed Facebook post received 17.6% more engagement.<\/p>\n

Perhaps that\u2019s why this famous IBM line has stuck around for decades.<\/p>\n\n

Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

8. Second Person Pronouns<\/h3>\n

In 2022<\/a>, a group of three researchers studied thousands of brand posts on Facebook, comparing their engagement and impressions.<\/p>\n

They discovered that posts containing second-person pronouns (you, your, you\u2019ll) increased the performance of the posts.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just Facebook posts. Blog titles that include \u201cyou\u201d and \u201cyou\u2019ll\u201d made readers feel more engaged and made the brand behind the post appear more favorably in the reader’s eye.<\/p>\n

Next time you write a post, consider adding a \u201cyou.\u201d<\/p>\n

These 8 tips are<\/em><\/strong> what you<\/em><\/strong> need to craft compelling<\/em><\/strong> copy. <\/em><\/strong>Now don\u2019t <\/em><\/strong>forget it took me 10 years <\/em><\/strong>to find these tips but just 8 \u00bd minutes <\/em><\/strong>for you to read this post. So bookmark <\/em><\/strong>this blog, you might want to save it for a rainy day.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This blog is part of Phill Agnew\u2019<\/a>s Marketing Cheat Sheet <\/a>series<\/a> where he reveals scientifically proven tips to help you improve your marketing. To learn more, listen to his podcast, Nudge, which is a proud member of the HubSpot Podcast Network.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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