Edit for Engagement

TO MAKE THIS USEFUL, ADD A TO-DO TO EVERY CHECKLIST…. AS IN, FIND ANY PARAGRPAHS USING MORE THAN THREE SENTENCES. CAN YOU BREAK IT INTO TWO?

Some writers may be able to upchuck genius copy without needing revisions. I’m not one of them. You probably aren’t either—especially if you’ve been paying attention and wrote your first draft as fast as humanly possible.

The following checklist will help to make your copy more engaging. This begins with formating and

scannable, simple sentences, conversationsil.

You copy is only effective if it’s read. Period. As such, every element of your ad should serve one single purpose…

Getting it read.

These tips will help you.

It may seem obvious, and it is, but all too often we get caught up complete wastes of time: trying to be clever, the emotional impact of our brand, the perfect, benefit driven headline. And you know, that’s all well and good. But the fact is, if the prospect doesn’t read your copy, who cares about all that other stuff?

It’s the reading of the copy that will get you into your prospects heads. They’ll remember the stories, your product, your positioning… All those things you want them to remember and think about… But only if they read your copy.

Here are a few suggestions for getting them to do just that.

1. Looks Matter#

Before your prospect reads a single line of your copy, they have to be invited into the page.

A throat-grabbing headline will do it. But equally important is how you format your content.

Look at this pic. Which would you rather read?

Use Short Paragraphs#

In modern, digital writing, I find a maximum of three sentences per paragraph works well.

If you’re tempted to write four sentences, find a way to break the paragraph into two. You’ll notice all copy on this site follows this basic rule.

(Side note: Sometimes novelists carry this idea into writing short chapters. It makes it easier to keep moving through long texts.)

Write Short Sentences#

“We all take our food supply for granted. And for good reason. Americans have always had plenty. But we may be heading for one of the most serious periods in our history. Let me explain.”

NOt copy, per say, but a great example of using short sentences (fragments) to tell a story. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

“He is short and I am tall. We were Mutt and Jeff in the war. We were captured together in the war. I told him who I was on the telephone. He had trouble believing it. He was up. He was reading.”

Secret’s out. Blackwell blew it. Here’s that that means for you.

Break Up Content with Subheadings#

Subheadings make your content more bite-sized—and therefore, easier to read.

Here are a few approaches to subheadings:

• Include SEO keywords LINK in headings
• Use user-asked questions as subheadings for AEO LINK
• Write subheadings which as complee nonsense like “scrammbled eggs”

Whichever subheading approach you take will depend on your goals. Just know that nonsense is legit… it still breaks up the content and makes it more inviting.

Use Bullet Lists#

When appropriate, use bullet lists.

• They’re easy to skim
• They break up text
• And that’s good

2. Edit for Simplicity#

• Nothing fancy. Hammer out the main bits. Do it clearly.

The goal of all kickass copy is to be clear, simple, and to the point. Why?

Because readers go with the offers they most quickly understand.

clear, consice, don’t say composed, say wrote, don’t say objective, say goal, you’re not here to obtain, you’re here to get. LEVERAGE? blah. use.

Here are some things to try:

• Use plain, simple language

• Ask if a child can understand your offer

• Stick with 1- and 2-syllable words (unless you’re selling refridgerators)

• I love this writing (above example). I find it rather audacious. Never use words like audacious in your copy. It makes you sound like a pompous ass. Pompous is just as bad. Not everybody knows what audacious or pompous means. Use words everybody knows.

3. Short First Sentences#

Reading requires a bit of inertia. Short first sentences suck the reader in and get their eye moving across the page.

Examples:

• Secret’s out.
• Crazy, but true.
• This may surprise you.

For a list of short sentences to get the juices flowing go HERE.

4. Keep it Snappy#

An interesting rhythm keeps your reader moving through the text. Experiment with the following to give your copy a lively beat.

• One sentence, one point
• Fragments = okay
• Hyphenate sentences—makes ’em shorter
• Begin sentences with “And,” “But,” “Because,” “Or,” “So”
• CTRL+F for “that”… which can often be removed/reworked
• Alternate short and longer sentences
• Use transition words (for example, typically, as such, etc.)

Your over-arching goal is brevity—sharing the greatest amount of emotion with the fewest words possible.

5. The Slippery Slide#

Tattoo it to the inside of your skull.

Your reader must read the copy!

…

All the way to the end!

To suck them through like a Hoover vacuum, try the following:

• Anticipate and answer questions as you go

• Rearrange flow of ideas if an area feels stagnant

• Tease upcoming content (in the next section, more on that later, etc.)

• Start your presentation with a fat slab of curiousity

• End paragraphs with “cliffhangers” ADD LUBRICATION

  • Then something strange happened
  • You think that’s weird? Check this out.
  • What’s so great about the Copy Playbook? Let me explain.

• Then something simple—but brilliant—happened. (Dan Lapp)

  • This may surprise you. In fact, if my hunches are correct simply reading this article may change your idea of aging for the rest of your life. Here’s why.

• What made us switch from hating the thing to loving it? Read the following.

• I liked oatmeal. But I didn’t love oatmeal. Until this.

• He was not worried about any of that. But there were other things.

• That would seem to be the end of the story. But it’s not.

• But almost immediately, something strange happened.

• This brings us very nicely to the next topic.

• But here’s something you may not have known.

• You think that’s weird? Check this out.

• Now here comes the good part.

• Let me give you an example.

• But I didn’t stop there.

• But there’s more.

• Let me explain.

• Consider this.

• He continues.

Example: Integro Newsletter Blip#

The following uses most of the rules outlined above (with the exception of all those three-syllable words).

How many can you find?

Winning SEO in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

There’s no denying it. Artificial Intelligence is here to stay—and with it, a new method of attracting customers to your website. At Integro, we think that’s something to get excited about. Here’s why.

A basic understanding of AI-generated answers—along with a few simple tweaks to your online content—is all it takes to create winning SEO in the AI age. And our team is here to help you get it right…

So you can join the ranks of our clients enjoying winning SEO in this “new normal.”

To learn more, read: AEO vs SEO: A Step-by-Step Guide to Winning SEO in the Age of Artificial Intelligence →

Switch screens/print it READ IT OUT LOUD (or have someone else do it) Rework awkward phrases Find unfortunate typos (next slide) Run Grammarly*** and Google spell check Have Tim read it

Wildcard: Open with an Unrelated Story#

Have Someone Else Read It#

Before sending out your campaign, have someone else read it.

At the very least, this will help with unfortunate typos and missing information. What questions does your reader have?

If you really want to

• Breaks from content help freshen your mind and eyes… If you have time, work on something else for awhile before coming back to edit your current copy
• I find reading your drafts on another screen or device (than the one you use to write) easier to catching errors/find shorter ways to say things. If you’re going to use your phone turn off notifications.

read out loud#

have someone else read it out loud#

yikes

good writing is#

Use the imperative when it’s appropriate. Talk to your readers, not at them. Tell them what to do in a kind and straightforward way. This little change in perspective can help you be concise.

For example, avoid talking about yourself:

For the holidays, our customers can find the perfect children’s books on our website.

We’re excited to announce that we are introducing over 30 new products to our shop for the holidays.

Instead, be direct:

Find the perfect holiday gift. Shop now.

There are over 30 new items in the shop today! See what’s on sale.

Be careful with the passive voice, where the subject of the sentence comes after the object:

You have received a gift card from Maria.

Instead, use the active voice:

Maria sent you a gift card.

Balance being direct with being nice. Huddle your nouns and verbs close together to shorten your sentences. Active verbs help you write concisely and invigorate your prose so that it feels more like a conversation.

HONEST

More Passion#

What’s the story about? What’s the primary emotional driver?

(maybe this is where my emotion stuff goes?)

Know the emotional reasons your prospect wants to buy. Feel them and express them in your copy. Read it through and add more passion, ever more passion. More passion, more sales.

Every word has an emotion associate with it and tells a story (a courteous refund, respectfully installed—doesn’t need to make sense. just needs to convey the right emotions) Every word is a story. material has a lot more sizzle than “:book” every good ad is an emotional outpouring of words, feelings and impressions you sell on emotion, justify with logic feel those emotions!!! tuning fork!!!

The idea is to create the condition where the prospect is in perfect, harmonic resonance with your copy. Emotions follow the resonant frequency. As does you copy. To get them to feel that way, feel that way.

If you want someone to feel love reading your letter, love them.

In fact, every element is a tuning fork. The headline, the picture, the caption, the first sentence all the way to the final offer.

Choose the Right Words#

Every word has emotions associted with it and tells a story. And all good sales presentations are an emotional oupouring or words, feelings, and impressions. You sell on emotion… And then justify that purchase with logic. (After the fact.)

See every word as an emotional expression of some feeling. A little story.

Signing the paperwork and signing the contract feel different.

John Caples, a legendary direct marketer, changed the word “repair” to the work “fix” and saw a 20% increase in response.

Get in, make your point, get out. Your goal is to make your point with the maximum amount of emotion in the fewest words possible.

Some things to consider:

• Grammar comes second to emotion and legibility—feelings are more important (caveat: unless your client’s tone suggests otherwise)
• Use simple words—they carry the most weight.
• Search your document for “that” and remove/rewrite—there’s ususally a shorter way to say it (show an example)
• Vary sentence length for good rhythm
• Hyphenate sentences—makes ’em shorter
• Try rearranging ideas for more emotional impact

Edit for Specificity#

Find any vague claims in your copy and make them more specific (unless you’re selling on hope LINK).

Make it More Impactful#

Sometimes, get your main thoughts and just rearrange them. Often, there’s a more impactful way.

write how you talk#

clear, useful friendly#

Get the prospect saying “yes.” The slippery slide. Make honest and believable statements. Ones you know they can agree with and not challenge. You do not want them to challenge the copy.

• The point is to anticipate next questions and answer (or tease) it
• Write headline. Will it grab reader?
• Write subhead. Will it compell reader to read further?
• Write caption for imaginary picture. Strong enough to pull them into first sentence?
• Write the first sentence. Suck them in like a vacuum.