There's so much that goes into writing great advertising copy that it's difficult to remember the purpose of what you're writing. It's simple, really. You want to point out why the product or service is beneficial to the reader, give the product a brand and make the product stand out among its competition.

Good copy will have memorable buzzwords and taglines that will make readers feel good. Some copy goes viral, eliciting imitations and spoofs. There are numerous forms of ad copy. Some is short, some is long. Others meet the reader head on, while some beat around the bush. No matter the approach, great advertising copy cannot be boring. You are the artist, so express yourself through your copy.

Seems pretty easy, right? Not quite. Though it can get murky, here are seven tips that will help keep you on course for writing good ad copy.

Give Them a Memory

How do you get inside the head of the reader? Some experts believe using words that stick in people's minds will help them remember your copy. But how do you get them to read your copy? Write a good headline. A good headline will act like an invitation, whereas a bad one will act like repellent.

Once you've invited the reader to continue, begin to show them the benefits of the product or service about which you are writing. They won't be interested unless they can see what's in it for them.

Who is Your Audience

Ahead of sitting down to do the work of writing copy, you must know who you are writing to. The biggest tool that can give you this information is persona development  and market research. Find out who is likely to buy the product, what makes them tick. What are they concerned about? 

Be a Mind Reader

Once you've established your audience, you have to get inside their head. Verbalizing their thoughts is the best way to connect with a consumer. Narrow it down to just one type of person, avoiding vague copy meant for a large group. It's best just to speak directly to specific individuals within your target demographic. Pretend you're writing to just one individual. Find out their interests and appeal to those.

It's Not About You

Nobody likes it when people only talk about themselves. That's one of the biggest mistakes young copywriters make when pitching a product. Too much time spent talking about product or service rather than conveying benefits to the customer can end up sounding pretentious and egotistical. It's a tricky balance, though, because you must talk about your product at some point. Doing so with words like “you” and “your” is helpful.

Every Good Song Has a Hook

In a good song, the hook is what initially grabs the listener. The same goes for good ad copy. After a good headline is written, an inventive hook is imperative. Because the window of time you have with the reader is small, a potent, clear hook should provide them with answers. No matter what voice you give your brand, a hook will help define its identity. Just be sure that it is optimized to reach your target demographic.

Consistency is Key

Ad campaigns often require copy for a multitude of formats and it's essential for any content marketing campaign. Some formats can be short while others will require much more detail. No matter the length, though, it is critical that the messaging stays consistent on all fronts. As long as it's clearly written, it will be effective.

Stay Focused

Don't let your sense of humor or desire to be original eclipse the objective of your copy. Above all, the content must be potent and enjoyable, so readers will be tractor-beamed into your message. Tell them how the product or service will improve their lives. If you don't do it effectively, readers will disappear.

About the Author

Steve Floyd is the Founder and CEO of AXZM an internet marketing and web design firm based out of Dallas, Texas.