Copywriting tips: 3 elements of purposeful copy

If you publish content on the web in any kind of business or professional capacity, chances are you’re not just doing it for fun. Your copy is there to do a job.

Good copy is purposeful.

Well crafted copy has a power in it. Words, skillfully selected, can influence readers to:

• purchase a product, tool, or service
• sign up for an event
• subscribe to email notifications
• request answers, advice or support
• engage with a community
• submit feedback

“Don’t ever diminish the power of words. Words move hearts and hearts move limbs.”

-Hamza Yusuf

So… what does your content need to achieve?

3 Elements of Purposeful Web Copy

Writing that initiates action is assured in its purpose. In other words, the writer knows exactly what the piece of content needs to achieve, and how they’re going to go about it.

The three elements of purposeful web copy are:

• Messaging
• Value proposition
• Calls to action

Messaging

Questions to ask

• What specific ideas, concepts or sentiments need to be communicated?
• What do we want the target audience to think, feel or consider?

Value proposition

Questions to ask

• What problem(s) is this copy solving?
• What challenges, does it overcome?
• How will it improve someone’s life?

Calls to action

Questions to ask

• • And…what next?
  • To what end did we make them read this?
  • Is the conclusion an opening into something else — or a dead end?

Tools to support purposeful copy

• Business/campaign strategy documents
• Messaging architecture/hierarchy
• Content style guidance

If your copy has a job to do, follow the above three elements to get it done.

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