8 simple copywriting tips backs by science

I’m pretty lucky to have Leo around, because there are lots of times when I’m stuck on a title for a post, or the perfect word for something I’m writing.
Fortunately, we’re pretty keen on experimenting and testing here atBuffer, so I can try lots of different ideas and see what works best.
Even better, though, is having some data to give me a rough guide on where to start. I found some really useful data about crafting the perfect blog post or copy, and hopefully you’ll find it useful too.

1. Create a “curiosity gap”

Upworthy is arguably one of the most successful content marketing companies around, with massive successes on social media to their name.
One of the tips Upworthy offers from analyzing their own success is to ensure every headline has a “curiosity gap.” That is, the headline needs to be tantalizing enough to get a reader to click through, but mustn’t give away the whole story.
A great example comes from an Upworthy story about Mitt Romney:
Too vague, so readers aren’t interested: Mitt Romney Says Something Bad, Again
Too specific, so readers already know the whole story: Mitt Romney Says, “I Want The Middle Class To Be Tied To The Roof Of My Car.”
The final title ended up being: You Will Not Believe What Mitt Wants To Do To You — just enough intrigue to encourage click-throughs and still enough mystery that the payoff of reading the story will encourage readers to share it.
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2. Use numbers: Our brains can understand it more easily

BuzzFeed is a perfect example of just how popular listicles can be. It’s not really surprising, either, given how we’re constantly bombarded with content and don’t have time to read it all.
The Takipi research found that while numbers work well in headlines, digits in particular are more shareable. For instance, instead of “Ten ways to…” you should use “10 ways to…”
In the analysis, higher numbered lists (e.g. “100 ways to…”) were shared more, as were headlines that started with a digit.
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