Is Your Copy Scaring Your Audience in 5 ways?

With Halloween lurking around the corner, it’s the perfect time to check if you’ve been accidentally scaring off your target audience with your copywriting and content.

Quality copy attracts, engages, excites and ultimately sells to get results, however so many businesses might as well have their message painted in blood, hanging in a crypt!

Are you making these 5 ghastly mistakes when it comes to copywriting?

This spooky season offers you the perfect opportunity to check if you are committing any of the following copywriting crimes that are guaranteed to strike fear in the hearts of your customers!

​Avoid the following 5 copywriting mistakes, so that you can get the treat... not the trick. 

1. Irrelevant

Nothing scares people off quicker than copywriting based on topics that are completely irrelevant to the needs of your audience - and it happens all of the time.

Businesses often think that, because it's interesting to them that it will naturally be interesting to their customers too - but it's not always the case.

If your copy is based on subject matter that is not relevant to who you're trying to target, then you're going to have an audience full of ghosts.

2. Too long and arduous

Sure, people love lots of information, however if your copy is full of long, boring sentences filled with content that's a real struggle to read, then you shouldn't be surprised when you turn your audience into mindless zombies... which is not the ideal state you want them in!

3. Poorly edited 

Ok, this one seems like a no-brainer, but it happens all of the time.

Poor edits, spelling errors and factual mistakes not only reduce your credibility immediately - it's also very distracting for your audience. It's hard enough to earn their attention today, so don't lose it by making a typo.

If your reader sees two full stops (for example), they fall out of your message and their minds start to fly away like a ghostly wind.

You may also want to consider breaking up large slabs of text with a video or photos, or perhaps use titles and lists. These formatting tips can really make your content far less intimidating to read.

4. Terrible flow

You want your audience to read from the beginning to the end, and to get them to do this, you need to present them with a logical, informative and exciting flow that leads them on a journey.

One that sets up a promise and then delivers on it, rewarding their time.

If your copy sounds like the ramblings of a psychotic patient on a rocking chair wearing a straitjacket in a mental institution, then you're probably going to lose their interest pretty quickly... or worse. 

5. Too sales focused

Who's guilty of this?

Sure, some copywriting aims to sell directly in pieces like marketing collateral or direct adverts. However, when used for inbound marketing, where the objective is to offer genuine value to earn your audience's trust, then it needs to be more about them and less about the sale.

Nothing causes a panic attack in a reader quite like copywriting which sets up a premise for information and then suddenly turns the tide with a massive sales pitch. They'll be hitting the back button quicker than you can say 'trick or treat'!

How can Melotti Media Copywriting help you with your content?

At Melotti Media, we understand that high quality copywriting is essential for business success, but it is easier said than done. You’re time poor and spread thin, and writing isn’t your expertise. So, focus on what really matters, while we take care of all of your copywriting and marketing needs!

If you need further clarification about content, or if you need a quality copywriter to get the results you need, contact me now at chris@melottimedia.com.au. Or leave a comment, below.

I can sharpen your words to achieve your goals, today!

Christopher Melotti

Melotti Media Copywriting and Marketing Solutions
www.melottimedia.com.au
 
Click here to view the Copywriting FAQ page for all you need to know 
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