6 Great Ways Copywriting Can Boost Your Ecommerce Conversion Rates

Guest post 26.10.2020. Reading Time: 6 minutes

Underestimating the importance of brand copy can be a huge mistake. Your copy helps people form an opinion about your brand. Therefore, it is incredibly valuable.

A copy creates a bridge between you and your potential customers. That bridge allows you to approach consumers and convince them that you are the right brand for them.

The connection between a copy and the conversion isn’t just a myth. Just consider that FreckleTime has seen a 2.4x increase in the conversion rate with better copywriting.

So, are you ready to test out the power of a copywriter? Then put to use the following tips that are directed towards boosting your conversion rate.

1. Keep Your Headlines Direct and Simple

Headlines are in charge of making the first impression. Without effective headlines, you won’t get a chance to win over the customers with your amazing copy. Simply put, great headlines create a foundation for boosting your conversion rate.

The thing is that you can easily get lost among all the copywriting tips and tricks on how to craft the best headlines. But it’s not as complicated as some make it seem.

CityCliq conducted an A/B Test with 4 versions of the headline that invites users to try out their product. Those 4 headlines were:

  • Businesses Grow Faster Online!
  • Online Advertising That Works!
  • Get Found Faster!
  • Create a Webpage for Your Business

The last headline had a 90% increase in the conversion rate compared to the original. As you can tell, “Create a Webpage for Your Business” is the simplest, clearest, and most direct headline of them all.

What we can learn from this study is that simple and direct headlines work. Why? Because they don’t make people think. They wrap up the key point of your copy in an understandable package.

2. Focus on Your Value Proposition

The value proposition is what differentiates you from your competitions. Your value proposition should explain the value that you offer, and others in your niche don’t.

Take the iPhone as an example. They don’t sell you just the phone. They sell you the unique brand they have established.

Apple's iPhone value proposition
Apple’s iPhone value proposition

Are you aware of your value proposition? If not, it’s time that you define what makes you unique. Ask yourself the following: Why should customers buy my products and not my competitors’ products?

You also need to be aware of who your competitors are and what makes them unique if you plan to stand out. Awareness of your competitors’ value proposition can help you in the pursuit of your own.

Once you decide on your value proposition, use that in your copy. Invesp managed to increase conversion rate by over 90% for BlogTalk Radio and Oreilly after they had put the value proposition in the focus of their copy throughout the website.

3. Generate Positive Emotions

According to Psychology Today, customers put emotions over logic when evaluating brands. Their advertising research found that customers are more influenced by positive emotions than by rational observation.

Writing a copy that evokes positive emotions can boost customers’ desire to buy your products. The emotions you should aim for are:

  • Inspiration
  • Laugher
  • Compassion
  • Hope
  • Joy
  • Awe
  • Trust

Bring some positive emotions into people’s lives, and they will be grateful for that. Here are some ideas on how you can incorporate positivity into your copy:

  • Boost people’s spirits (write inspiring stories, direct inspiring words towards customers like “you are worthy/unique/loved,” and similar)
  • Use positive words and phrases (such as “uplifting,” “magical,” “exceptional,” etc.)
  • Share yours or other people’s struggles with happy endings (for example, telling the story of your rocky beginnings on the “About” page)
  • Write humorous copy (Chubbies are famous for their humorous copy such as “Couchside is the new courtside” that invites people to purchase their comfy shorts)
Chubbies newsletter copy
Chubbies newsletter copy

4. Build Your Credibility with Educational Content

If people feel like they can trust you, they will be more open towards buying from you. Seems pretty straightforward, right? But the challenge is how to earn that trust.

E-commerce owners don’t have an opportunity to build trust with a comforting smile and intelligent eyes. You have to convince people to trust you over the screen, which is much harder.

One of the ways of establishing trust is through educational content. Writing content that presents you as an expert in the industry will make them believe in your words.

Here are some types of educational content that you can create:

  • Interviews with industry experts
  • Video tutorials and how-tos
  • Scientific explanations of your topics
  • Webinars
  • Podcasts
  • Ebooks

If you need help with creating some of the content, you can always contact a professional writing service like BestEssaysEducation.com that will connect you with an experienced writer. Or, you can simply hire an editor from GrabMyEssay who will polish up your content before publishing.

Users are more likely to click on “Download our free ebook” than on “buy our product” when it comes to an unknown brand. Once they check out that ebook and see that you are a brand that creates high-quality educational material, they will be less hesitant to give your products a try. Another way of presenting educational content is by podcasts. However, besides using it for educational purposes, many businesses use podcasting in PR practices, as a way of promotion.

Mention your educational content on your web copy or social media copy. If you post on social media, make sure to research the best time to post on Instagram or Facebook in your industry. The more people get acquainted with your educational content, the better will your chances be to convert users into buyers.

5. Monitor Reviews

You can learn a lot from your customers. Rather than trying to put yourself in customer’s shoes, look up their reviews and testimonials. They are the most credible evidence of their thoughts and opinions.

Turn to the reviews to identify the type of language that your customers use. Based on that, you can write your copy in a similar language. This will ensure that your copy resonates with your customers.

Reviews can also reveal customers’ inquiries and their favorite topics. Let them tell you what you should write about, and you’ll be able to create a persuasive copy.

Joanna Wiebe, a copywriter and the founder of Copy Hackers, uses the “review mining” method. She managed to increase leads by more than 20% for a client by mining Amazon product reviews for the client’s niche.

If your e-commerce business doesn’t have a lot of reviews, you can always do what Joanna did. Browse for reviews of other companies in your niche that sell similar products to yours. Those are the customers that you want to charm with your copy.

6. Write Action-Oriented Copy

To get people to take action, write an action-oriented copy. Don’t leave potential customers space to overthink their actions. Give them a clear indication of what awaits them if they buy your products.

L’axelle is a great example of how changing the nature of the copy can reflect on the conversion rate. Their initial copy was oriented towards comfort and relaxation. The headline was, “Feel fresh without sweat marks.”

L’axelle original copy
L’axelle original copy

Wanting to increase their conversion rate, they decided to do a test run with a different copy – action-oriented copy. The action-oriented copy was focused on the solution and taking action. This copy was led by a headline “Put an end to sweat marks!”

L’axelle action-oriented copy
L’axelle action-oriented copy

The result was amazing. The action-oriented copy brought them a 38.3% conversion rate. This conversion rate was 93% better. The initial copy that relied on relaxation was stomped over by action-oriented copy.

The secret behind the power of action-oriented copy is that it gives people what they need – direct answers to their problems. It invites them to take action instead of solely giving them information.

Final Thoughts

Well-written copy can make a huge impact on your conversion rate. However, to write such a copy, you have to be strategic and effective. Which is exactly what these tips will help you with.

Hopefully, the tips will serve you well and provide you with some guidance on how to boost people’s interest in your e-commerce business. All that is left to say is good luck and happy copywriting!

Author: Marques Coleman

Author

Ana Popovic
Ana Popovic is a Digital Marketing Specialist at Price2Spy. She's a sociologist who found her place in the eCommerce world. As such, her love for writing has led her to discover the beauty of content marketing and given her the opportunity to inform people about eCommerce and pricing topics.