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One way to engage readers is to take features and turn them into benefits in online copy. All it takes is a gentle leap from thinking about your product specs to what those features actually mean for your customers.
How do your products make customers’ lives better? For every feature in size, weight, strength, or speed, think what each means to your customers.
A few thoughts on including benefits in your online copy to help you get more engaging text on your website…
1) Feature + So What = Benefit
Dazzle your readers with benefits. Hook them with the main benefit and make a big promise in the headline. Then hit them with secondary benefits throughout your copy. It’s all based on “so what.” My formula is Feature + So What = Benefit.
Let’s try one now based on a feature of my social media marketing service.
FEATURE: short form social media content + SO WHAT: it’s the kind of content that gets attention on social media = BENEFIT: increased traffic to your website.
Here’s how it might sound in words, “I’ll write the special short form content that gets attention online so you get more qualified traffic to your website.”
2) Restate the Benefits Headline
Since you’re using your strongest features in your headline, repeat that headline often in your copy. Let's look at my Social Media Marketing sales page. You’ll see in the headline, “Get the Most Attention From Your Social Media Marketing with a Smart Strategy and Special Short Form Content.” You get strategy and special content for the benefit, attention.
Then further down, “I can help you with the special language that works on social media and the planning that goes into leveraging social media effectively.” A repeat of special content and strategy. And near the bottom, “I’ll teach you how to write the special short from content…” Make sense?
3) Be specific with what your audience cares about.
Giving good service isn’t really a benefit, is it? How about an example outside of my business, say a plumber. Most advertisements talk about the excellent service they offer. That ad generates the same thought for me. No kidding! You offer good service? Who doesn’t?
How about getting specific with what you do better than the competition. Say you’ll arrive on time for appointments every time or you’ll call back with a reason. Or in an emergency, a live person takes your call.
4) Check each claim you make and ask yourself if it makes sense.
I get tons of emails from SEOs (mainly from overseas) guaranteeing page one on Google. Really? I don’t believe it unless it’s qualified with something like, “We’ll work to get you page one on Google.” Just a few words and unreal turns to respectable and believable.
“What’s in it for me” is the holy grail of writing for the internet. Keep thinking about the benefits in online copy and you’ll write much more engaging web pages.
Until next time,
Nick
Nick Burns is an SEO web writer specializing in persuasive copywriting and content marketing. He provides clients a winning content strategy plus the special web writing to make it work. You can contact Nick here.
