Web Copy That Sells
The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy That Grabs Their Attention and Compels Them to Buy
3rd Edition
Published on 13. April 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-0-8144-3251-8 (ISBN)
Description
Just as technology is constantly evolving, author Maria Veloso approaches marketing communication from a posture of newer, faster, and more effective techniques.
Veloso provides both timeless and cutting-edge methods to help content marketers achieve phenomenal success. With the rise of social networks, "Twitterized" attention spans, and new forms of video content, marketers' online sales techniques need an upgrade.
In Web Copy That Sells, you'll gain tips for:
crafting attention-grabbing, clickable, and actionable content;
learn how to streamline key messages down to irresistible "cyber bites" for highly targeted Facebook ads and interactive web banners;
discover the latest psychological tactics that compel customers to buy;
and learn how to write video scripts that sell.
Whether your focus is on web copy, email campaigns, social media, or any of the other latest and greatest opportunities for lead generation through digital marketing communication, these tips will help you pack a fast, powerful, sales-generating punch.
Veloso provides both timeless and cutting-edge methods to help content marketers achieve phenomenal success. With the rise of social networks, "Twitterized" attention spans, and new forms of video content, marketers' online sales techniques need an upgrade.
In Web Copy That Sells, you'll gain tips for:
crafting attention-grabbing, clickable, and actionable content;
learn how to streamline key messages down to irresistible "cyber bites" for highly targeted Facebook ads and interactive web banners;
discover the latest psychological tactics that compel customers to buy;
and learn how to write video scripts that sell.
Whether your focus is on web copy, email campaigns, social media, or any of the other latest and greatest opportunities for lead generation through digital marketing communication, these tips will help you pack a fast, powerful, sales-generating punch.
More details
Person
MARIA VELOSO is director of Web Copywriting University, a sought-after speaker on Internet marketing strategies, and CEO of Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing. She has generated millions of dollars in online sales for a diverse stable of clients as well as her own online enterprises through her unique model of direct-response Web copywriting.
Content
CONTENTS
Foreword xix
Acknowledgment xxiii
Introduction to Third Edition xxv
1 GETTING STARTED: THE DYNAMICS OF
WEB SELLING 1
Three Fundamental Rules for Writing Web Copy That Sells 3
Rule 1: Don't Make Your Website Look Like an Ad 3
Rule 2: Stop Readers Dead in Their Tracks 7
Rule 3: Capture E-Mail Addresses 9
The First Look 11
Web Copy Dos and Don'ts 14
Reading on the Web 18
Words Tell, Emotion Sells 19
How to Become a Great Web Copywriter in Five Hours or Less 22
2 A SIMPLE BLUEPRINT FOR WRITING KILLER WEB COPY 23
Creating the Blueprint: Five Simple Questions You Must Ask 25
Question 1: What Is the Problem? 25
Question 2: Why Hasn't the Problem Been Solved? 26
Question 3: What Is Possible? 26
Question 4: What Is Different Now? 27
Question 5: What Should You Do Now? 27
The Anatomy of the Blueprint 27
Putting the Blueprint to Work: Five Easy Steps to Making Your
Web Copy Sell 32
Step 1: Inject Emotion 33
Step 2: Add Bullet Points, Bonuses, Guarantee, and Close 35
Step 3: Add Credibility- Building Elements 38
Step 4: Add Psychological Devices and Involvement Devices 39
Step 5: Replace Rational Words with Emotional Words 40
Reinforcing the Framework: A Summary 43
3 CRAFTING YOUR COPY 44
Constructing Your Web Copy 44
The AIDA Principle 45
The Unique Selling Proposition 46
Making an Impression: The First Paragraph 48
The Offer You Can't Refuse 48
Testimonials: Effortless Selling 50
Talking About Money: How to Introduce the Price 54
The Minor- Purchase Technique 55
The Daily- Cost Technique 55
Keep on Selling: Writing the Order Form 56
The Money- Back Guarantee: A Deal Maker 57
The Close: Signing on the Dotted Line 58
The Call to Action 59
Get a Calling Card: The Opt- In Mechanism 59
How to Construct a Riveting Headline 63
What's in a Headline? 64
The Building Blocks of Winning Web Headlines 66
Choosing Your Words: Tips, Terms, and Concepts 70
Words to Avoid in Your Web Copy 71
Words to Use in Your Web Copy 72
Dos and Don'ts of Web Copywriting 75
The Long and Short of It: How Long Should Web Copy Be? 81
How Well Does Your Website Sell? 83
Formula for Mathematically Measuring the Selling Quotient of
Web Copy 83
4 E-MAIL MARKETING: THE INTERNET'S KILLER APPLICATION 88
Traffic Conversion: Turning Visitors into Customers 88
Wagging the Website 89
Why Your E-Mail May Be More Important Than Your Website 90
The Frame- of- Mind Marketing Method for Writing E- Mails 93
Breaking the Sales Barrier 95
The Future of E-Mail Marketing 96
How to Make Sure Your E-Mail Is Delivered 97
How to Avoid Spam Blockers 98
Does Your E-Mail Test Positive as Spam? 102
How to Write E-Mail That's Read 102
Seven Elements of E-Mails That Sell 103
Put the Competitive Edge into Your E-Mail Marketing 113
Adapt as Your Audience's Frame of Mind Changes 114
Using E-Mail to Get Attention 115
What Really Works on the Internet Sometimes Doesn't 118
SIG File: Your Online Business Card 119
How Your E-Mail Reputation Affects E- Mail Deliverability 120
5 USING PSYCHOLOGY TO MOTIVATE PROSPECTS
TO BECOME PURCHASERS 125
The "Reason Why" 126
The Zeigarnik Effect 126
The Cliffhanger 128
Hypnotically Persuasive Language 129
Embedded Commands 129
Presuppositions 130
Linguistic Binds 132
Reframing 134
The Appearance of Consistency 136
Contradictory Thinking 137
The Cyrano Effect 139
6 THE ART OF CHANGING YOUR PROSPECTS' MINDS 149
What Role Does Emotion Play in Mind Changing 154
The Three Principal Triggers of Mind Change 155
Emotional Resonance 156
Redefi nition 156
Resistance 157
The Trifecta Neuro- Affective Principle in Short Copy 165
7 INCREASING SALES THROUGH THE USE OF
INVOLVEMENT DEVICES 171
Involvement Devices and the Recovery Principle 179
8 ONLINE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS: IT'S WHAT YOU
DO AFTER PEOPLE VISIT YOUR WEBSITE THAT COUNTS 184
The Opt- In Offer: Your Most Important Asset 185
Five Keys to an Opt- In Offer That's Impossible to Refuse 187
Presenting the Offer 189
How to Write Irresistible Autoresponder E-Mails 189
Quick Primer on Autoresponders 189
Crafting Autoresponder E- Mails to Your Opt- In Prospects 190
Crafting Autoresponder E-Mails to Customers 191
How to Format Your E-Mails for Optimum Readability 192
How to Write Free Reports and Promotional Articles 192
Tips for Creating Search- Engine- Optimized Articles
That Magnetize Hot Leads and Customers 194
Guidelines for Writing Newsletters and E- Zines 197
Tips for Creating "Monetizable" Content 199
The Anatomy of a Successful E- Newsletter 202
Guidelines for Writing Online Ads, Signature Files, and Banner Copy 206
Three Tips for Writing Online Ads 207
Writing Copy for Interactive Advertising Banners 209
9 WEB COPYWRITING IN THE AGE OF WEB 3.0
AND BEYOND 211
Blogs 212
Social Bookmarking Sites 212
Social Networking Sites 213
How to Craft Highly Targeted Facebook Ads That Deliver
Leads, Sales, and Profi ts 213
Authority Sites 216
Marketing via Online Videos 218
How to Create an Online Video That Drives Massive
Traffi c to Your Website 221
How to Create High- Converting Video Sales Letters 224
How to Optimize Your Video for Search Engine Purposes 228
Uploading Your Video 230
Resources for Creating Your Video 232
How to Write Copy for Mobile Devices and the "Portable Web" 233
Optimizing Your Website for Mobile: What It Means 234
Guidelines on Optimizing Website Copy for Mobile 237
How to Write Copy for Infographics to Generate Free Website Traffi c 242
The Role of Copy in Creating Infographics 243
Case Study: UndergroundHealthReporter.com Portal Website 244
Additional Tips for Using Infographics for Online Marketing 250
The Benefi ts of Using Infographics in Your Content
Marketing Strategy 251
10 LAST BUT NOT LEAST: TYING IT ALL TOGETHER 253
Track It, Fix It: What to Do When Web Copy Is Not Working 254
Four Steps to Web Copywriting Success 257
Track Your Results 258
Two Degrees of Separation 260
11 THE LUCRATIVE BUSINESS OF WEB COPYWRITING 263
How to Find Web Copywriting Clients 264
How to Contact Prospective Clients 267
What to Charge- And How to Ensure That Your Clients Pay You 269
Intellectual Property Licensing 270
Directory of Resources 272
Books and Courses 272
Resources for Creating Online Marketing Videos 273
Resources for Creating Infographics 273
Index 275
Foreword xix
Acknowledgment xxiii
Introduction to Third Edition xxv
1 GETTING STARTED: THE DYNAMICS OF
WEB SELLING 1
Three Fundamental Rules for Writing Web Copy That Sells 3
Rule 1: Don't Make Your Website Look Like an Ad 3
Rule 2: Stop Readers Dead in Their Tracks 7
Rule 3: Capture E-Mail Addresses 9
The First Look 11
Web Copy Dos and Don'ts 14
Reading on the Web 18
Words Tell, Emotion Sells 19
How to Become a Great Web Copywriter in Five Hours or Less 22
2 A SIMPLE BLUEPRINT FOR WRITING KILLER WEB COPY 23
Creating the Blueprint: Five Simple Questions You Must Ask 25
Question 1: What Is the Problem? 25
Question 2: Why Hasn't the Problem Been Solved? 26
Question 3: What Is Possible? 26
Question 4: What Is Different Now? 27
Question 5: What Should You Do Now? 27
The Anatomy of the Blueprint 27
Putting the Blueprint to Work: Five Easy Steps to Making Your
Web Copy Sell 32
Step 1: Inject Emotion 33
Step 2: Add Bullet Points, Bonuses, Guarantee, and Close 35
Step 3: Add Credibility- Building Elements 38
Step 4: Add Psychological Devices and Involvement Devices 39
Step 5: Replace Rational Words with Emotional Words 40
Reinforcing the Framework: A Summary 43
3 CRAFTING YOUR COPY 44
Constructing Your Web Copy 44
The AIDA Principle 45
The Unique Selling Proposition 46
Making an Impression: The First Paragraph 48
The Offer You Can't Refuse 48
Testimonials: Effortless Selling 50
Talking About Money: How to Introduce the Price 54
The Minor- Purchase Technique 55
The Daily- Cost Technique 55
Keep on Selling: Writing the Order Form 56
The Money- Back Guarantee: A Deal Maker 57
The Close: Signing on the Dotted Line 58
The Call to Action 59
Get a Calling Card: The Opt- In Mechanism 59
How to Construct a Riveting Headline 63
What's in a Headline? 64
The Building Blocks of Winning Web Headlines 66
Choosing Your Words: Tips, Terms, and Concepts 70
Words to Avoid in Your Web Copy 71
Words to Use in Your Web Copy 72
Dos and Don'ts of Web Copywriting 75
The Long and Short of It: How Long Should Web Copy Be? 81
How Well Does Your Website Sell? 83
Formula for Mathematically Measuring the Selling Quotient of
Web Copy 83
4 E-MAIL MARKETING: THE INTERNET'S KILLER APPLICATION 88
Traffic Conversion: Turning Visitors into Customers 88
Wagging the Website 89
Why Your E-Mail May Be More Important Than Your Website 90
The Frame- of- Mind Marketing Method for Writing E- Mails 93
Breaking the Sales Barrier 95
The Future of E-Mail Marketing 96
How to Make Sure Your E-Mail Is Delivered 97
How to Avoid Spam Blockers 98
Does Your E-Mail Test Positive as Spam? 102
How to Write E-Mail That's Read 102
Seven Elements of E-Mails That Sell 103
Put the Competitive Edge into Your E-Mail Marketing 113
Adapt as Your Audience's Frame of Mind Changes 114
Using E-Mail to Get Attention 115
What Really Works on the Internet Sometimes Doesn't 118
SIG File: Your Online Business Card 119
How Your E-Mail Reputation Affects E- Mail Deliverability 120
5 USING PSYCHOLOGY TO MOTIVATE PROSPECTS
TO BECOME PURCHASERS 125
The "Reason Why" 126
The Zeigarnik Effect 126
The Cliffhanger 128
Hypnotically Persuasive Language 129
Embedded Commands 129
Presuppositions 130
Linguistic Binds 132
Reframing 134
The Appearance of Consistency 136
Contradictory Thinking 137
The Cyrano Effect 139
6 THE ART OF CHANGING YOUR PROSPECTS' MINDS 149
What Role Does Emotion Play in Mind Changing 154
The Three Principal Triggers of Mind Change 155
Emotional Resonance 156
Redefi nition 156
Resistance 157
The Trifecta Neuro- Affective Principle in Short Copy 165
7 INCREASING SALES THROUGH THE USE OF
INVOLVEMENT DEVICES 171
Involvement Devices and the Recovery Principle 179
8 ONLINE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS: IT'S WHAT YOU
DO AFTER PEOPLE VISIT YOUR WEBSITE THAT COUNTS 184
The Opt- In Offer: Your Most Important Asset 185
Five Keys to an Opt- In Offer That's Impossible to Refuse 187
Presenting the Offer 189
How to Write Irresistible Autoresponder E-Mails 189
Quick Primer on Autoresponders 189
Crafting Autoresponder E- Mails to Your Opt- In Prospects 190
Crafting Autoresponder E-Mails to Customers 191
How to Format Your E-Mails for Optimum Readability 192
How to Write Free Reports and Promotional Articles 192
Tips for Creating Search- Engine- Optimized Articles
That Magnetize Hot Leads and Customers 194
Guidelines for Writing Newsletters and E- Zines 197
Tips for Creating "Monetizable" Content 199
The Anatomy of a Successful E- Newsletter 202
Guidelines for Writing Online Ads, Signature Files, and Banner Copy 206
Three Tips for Writing Online Ads 207
Writing Copy for Interactive Advertising Banners 209
9 WEB COPYWRITING IN THE AGE OF WEB 3.0
AND BEYOND 211
Blogs 212
Social Bookmarking Sites 212
Social Networking Sites 213
How to Craft Highly Targeted Facebook Ads That Deliver
Leads, Sales, and Profi ts 213
Authority Sites 216
Marketing via Online Videos 218
How to Create an Online Video That Drives Massive
Traffi c to Your Website 221
How to Create High- Converting Video Sales Letters 224
How to Optimize Your Video for Search Engine Purposes 228
Uploading Your Video 230
Resources for Creating Your Video 232
How to Write Copy for Mobile Devices and the "Portable Web" 233
Optimizing Your Website for Mobile: What It Means 234
Guidelines on Optimizing Website Copy for Mobile 237
How to Write Copy for Infographics to Generate Free Website Traffi c 242
The Role of Copy in Creating Infographics 243
Case Study: UndergroundHealthReporter.com Portal Website 244
Additional Tips for Using Infographics for Online Marketing 250
The Benefi ts of Using Infographics in Your Content
Marketing Strategy 251
10 LAST BUT NOT LEAST: TYING IT ALL TOGETHER 253
Track It, Fix It: What to Do When Web Copy Is Not Working 254
Four Steps to Web Copywriting Success 257
Track Your Results 258
Two Degrees of Separation 260
11 THE LUCRATIVE BUSINESS OF WEB COPYWRITING 263
How to Find Web Copywriting Clients 264
How to Contact Prospective Clients 267
What to Charge- And How to Ensure That Your Clients Pay You 269
Intellectual Property Licensing 270
Directory of Resources 272
Books and Courses 272
Resources for Creating Online Marketing Videos 273
Resources for Creating Infographics 273
Index 275