The above analogy helped understand what durian tastes like by evoking familiar flavors. Therefore, analogies help readers understand complex topics. If content is difficult to understand, it becomes less engaging and readers may lose interest.
On my website, where I promote my Facebook Ads copywriting services, I share a personal encounter with a pushy salesperson who almost got slapped for touching my shoulder. I use this story as an analogy to introduce the need for unobtrusive advertising. Judging by how often prospects mention the story on calls, I’ll say it was an addiction to read.
4. Embrace storytelling
In his book “The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human,” Will Storr cites research showing that when we read stories, our brain releases chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, which make us feel more engaged and interested . Considering our short attention span online, storytelling has become a powerful tool for capturing and maintaining attention.
5. Be specific
For more than 20 years, Professors Dan and Chip Heath of Duke and Stanford University have studied what makes some messages more effective than others at capturing and holding attention and making people more likely to take action.
In their book “Made to Stick,” they explained that being concrete and specific makes it easier for people to understand and respond to a message.
Tips for making your copy more specific include:
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Write like you talk to a friend
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Avoid using abstract language
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Make your request tangible and concrete
6. Write a text like a movie screenplay
If you handed a script to a director, could he quickly figure out how to direct the scene?
Saying “he was angry” doesn’t provide enough detail for a director to create a scene. However, if I describe how “he walked into the bar, threw water in someone’s face and told him to stay away from his wife”, the director can visualize and direct that scene better.
For the text to pass the directorial test, your writing should allow readers to easily visualize what you are describing and stimulate their imagination.
I rewrote ad copy that significantly reduced the client’s cost per lead from $15.19 to $4.82. See the screenshot below, which shows the original ad copy before my rewriting.