{"id":7667,"date":"2020-06-02T07:00:38","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T05:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=7667"},"modified":"2022-09-05T19:24:34","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T17:24:34","slug":"understand-copywriting-techniques-for-advertising-copy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/content-marketing-blog\/understand-copywriting-techniques-for-advertising-copy\/","title":{"rendered":"Understand copywriting techniques for advertising copy"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_3-1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"680\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/shutterstock_640203928-e1591014518240.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - copywriting\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/shutterstock_640203928-e1591014518240.png 680w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/shutterstock_640203928-e1591014518240-600x300.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>It is not enough for you to know how to create headlines and slogans or to write strong <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/who-are-the-players-in-the-advertising-industry\/\">advertising<\/a> copy. You must also know how to create gripping messages in every medium, from traditional and emerging. In order to accomplish this, you need a solid copywriting foundation. You need to understand various script formats, creative brief templates, media restrictions and compositional structure. Using that, you must build on that knowledge and cement it with strategic thinking, analytical insights, audience-relevant messages and sound writing techniques.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Copywriting principles used in advertising <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Along with the five main purposes of <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/what-does-the-zeigarnik-effect-have-to-do-with-copywriting\/\">copywriting<\/a>, there are also four principles you should know to achieve success. These are basic guidelines that almost all copywriters follow. The following are not hard-and-fast rules but are good advice for anyone who wants to successfully engage with their customers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Vimeo video player\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/282466542?autoplay=0&loop=0&autopause=0&color=00adef&portrait=0&byline=1&title=1&controls=1&muted=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowfullscreen loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2><strong>What makes for good marketing copywriting? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>It starts with grasping as well as internalising these four basic sales and marketing principles:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Know the audience<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For any project, always know who your target audience is. Ensure that you understand their most important pain points and then write about these with the words or communication style that will be most likely to get through to them. The question \u201cWho\u2019s the audience?\u201d is the first you need to ask when beginning any project.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Highlight benefits and features<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Prior to starting to write for a client, uncover what the benefits and features are for their product or service for the particular target audience.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Create a unique selling proposition (USP<\/strong><em>)<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The USP is the core message which differentiates your client from the competition. Think about what the business that you\u2019re writing about does better than anyone else. If that\u2019s difficult to narrow down, look at what is not being highlighted by the competition. This is even if they provide comparable products or services. Discover a way to assist your client stand out and showcase that advantage in all the marketing materials which you write.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<h3><strong> Beware of the curse of knowledge<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>We\u2019ve all seen websites frightfully unclear about what the business does:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Totally indecipherable instruction manuals.<\/li>\n<li>Brochures that create more questions as opposed to answers.<\/li>\n<li>Emails that have you scratching your head regarding their meaning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In every case, the organisation is assuming that readers or visitors know far more than they really do. So, when designing any marketing piece, ensure you can answer \u201cyes\u201d to this question:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If I knew nothing whatsoever about this subject (which is very possible), was in the middle of doing something else entirely when it crossed my path (which is highly likely), and had a short attention span (which is a given), would I \u201cget it\u201d quickly?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you can\u2019t respond to this question with a definitive \u201cyes,\u201d rework the copy until you can.<\/p>\n<p>Copywriting does not necessarily require the strictest adherence to formal English grammar. Owing to the fact that your objective is to build an empathetic rapport with your readers, you want to write in the way which they speak. Depending on the circumstances as well as your intended audience, making use of slang, sentence fragments, contractions and colloquialisms is perfectly acceptable. Grammar, as with all things, slowly changes over time. Linguistic patterns, etymologies, jargon, and societal trends change with time so paving the way for new definitions and contexts.<\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/contact-us\/\">Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>Are you keen to learn more about copywriting? If you do, then you should really check out our National Diploma of Copywriting. For more information, please follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/national-diploma-of-copywriting-course\/\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/national-diploma-of-copywriting-course\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7668 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Copy-Writing-600x96.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing-Copy Writing\" width=\"600\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Copy-Writing-600x96.jpg 600w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Copy-Writing-300x48.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Copy-Writing-1024x164.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Copy-Writing-768x123.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Copy-Writing-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-btn-wrapper align_justify\"><a class=\"w-btn us-btn-style_2\" href=\"#enquiry\"><span class=\"w-btn-label\">Enquire Today<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Blog Categories<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/blog\/content-marketing\/\">Content Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/digital-marketing\/\">Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/cyber-security-blog\/\">Cyber Security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/graphic-design-blog\/\">Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/blog\/public-relations\/\">Public Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/blog\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/social-media-marketing\/\">Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/web-design-blog\/\">Web Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">You might also like<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"w-html\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/social-media-marketing-blog\/zero-moment-of-truth-benefit-social-media-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/your-complete-guide-to-ppc-marketing-basic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Complete Guide to PPC Marketing Basics. Find out more.<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/you-can-convey-a-lot-of-meaning-with-just-one-graphic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">You Can Convey a Lot Of Meaning With Just One Graphic<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/would-you-make-a-great-marketing-manager\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Would you make a great marketing manager?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/in-the-press\/win-with-bona-magazine-and-the-digital-school-of-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Win with Bona Magazine and the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/in-the-press\/win-a-digital-marketing-course-valued-at-r12-000\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Win a Digital Marketing Course Valued at  R12 000<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Top Selling COurses<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/courses\/digital-marketing-course\/\">Intermediate Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/courses\/advanced-digital-marketing-course\/\">Advanced Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/courses\/social-media-marketing-course\/\">Intermediate Social media marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/courses\/digital-brand-management-course\/\">Brand Management<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/courses\/graphic-design-course\/\">Basic Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-6\"><a href=\"\/courses\/advanced-graphic-design-course\/\">Advanced Graphic design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-7\"><a href=\"\/courses\/national-certificate-of-advertising\/\">National Certificate of Advertising<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-8\"><a href=\"\/courses\/national-diploma-of-copywriting-course\/\">National Diploma of Copyrighting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Youtube video player\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fktaMpR8EO0?autoplay=0&controls=1&origin=https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za&loop=0&mute=0\" allowfullscreen=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7669,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[265],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-content-marketing-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7667"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7667\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}