In concrete terms, there aren’t 1,000 ways to communicate your brand, product or its benefits.
In fact, there are only 2: images (including videos) and text.
As the vector of sales arguments, convincing text is more than essential for selling.
That’s the whole point of copywriting.
So let’s take a look at the meaning behind this anglicism and how to apply copywriting to e-commerce.
What is copywriting and why is it relevant to e-commerce?
Knowing how to write well is one thing, but knowing how to direct the actions of a visitor or customer through well-crafted turns of phrase requires a very special technique.
Copywriting, the art of words that sell
Copywriting is a branch of marketing that focuses on the editorial aspect.
Often defined as “the art of writing words that sell”, this discipline comes into its own when writing sales pages, advertising scripts, product/service descriptions or canvassing e-mails.
A formidable tool when used correctly, copywriting is just as much at home in traditional commerce as (or even more so) in e-commerce.
the benefits of applying copywriting to e-commerce
While e-commerce is in itself not fundamentally different from traditional commerce, it is nevertheless distinguished by much larger scales, both in terms of volume (number of products/services, sales, logistics…) and frequency (with frantic sales and communication rhythms).
So it’s a field where everything is sold, at high speed and through online media where people are bombarded with information, choices and comparisons at every turn.
As an e-tailer, you need to capture the attention of these potential prospects and convince them to perform a specific action (visit a page, buy a product, subscribe, etc.) in a minimum of time and effort.
In this context, it’s important to adopt an incisive style.
An intriguing headline or “shock” formula can have the potential to stop an Internet user in his tracks, bring him to an e-commerce store, and then guide him through the purchasing process.
This whole process, similar to a “sales tunnel”, can be greatly optimized if copywriting techniques are applied, but also if communication channels are diversified by integrating copywriting techniques.
We can think of emailing, which will regularly increase prospects’ interest in an offer or offers, but also the production of blog articles, which will reinforce both SEO and authority status (always with a view to improving the notoriety and conversions of your e-commerce store).
E-commerce copywriting: techniques and best practices
As a broad discipline, there are many techniques for selling online using copywriting.
Let’s take a closer look at copywriting for e-commerce.
Recurring structures that drive prospects to action
Copywriting is both a science of writing and a science of selling.
As such, its use for conversion purposes is particularly codified.
The basic principle, while infinitely adaptable to the specific offers and objectives of the e-tailer, can be summarized by a recurring structure:
- Capture attention, then interest
- Identify the reader’s problem(s) and state them clearly to create cognitive dissonance (a situation of mental discomfort).
- Present a solution that addresses the problem(s)
- Encourage a specific action to ensure conversion (purchase, subscription, etc.)
From this simple structure, many variations are possible, some of them famous and easily applicable when asking the question of how to do copywriting for e-commerce.
The PAS method in e-commerce copywriting
Or “Problem, Agitate, Solve”, it’s a basic copywriting technique that directly follows the previous structure and is easily used in e-commerce for a product description or online advertising, for example.
- Problem: You identify your typical customer’s main problem and explain it clearly.
“Difficult to find reliable customers for your business?”
- Agitate: We stimulate the reader’s discomfort by exposing a negative situation linked to his or her problem.
Storytelling is very useful for facilitating identification and anchoring the reader in reality.
“Like you, I found it unbearable to wake up every morning wondering how I was going to find my next customers. I knew that all my income depended on it, and it was a source of daily anguish.”
- Solve: Here, we put an end to the reader’s cognitive dissonance by offering our providential solution.
The emphasis is on the benefits of the offer, which have a direct positive impact on the problem.
“With the XY platform you don’t have to worry about prospecting all over the place to find your customers, we take care of finding the best profiles and introducing them directly to you. No more worries, no more fluctuating income!”
The AIDA method, for creating desire
“Attention, Interest, Desire, Action”, still based on a classic copywriting structure, this method places greater emphasis on the desire it arouses, by transforming the object’s characteristics into attractive, tangible benefits.
Particularly useful in conjunction with graphic elements or for advertising on social networks.
- Attention: Capture attention with a catchy title, question, layout, visuals or anything else that might stop a potential reader in his tracks.
“Triple your number of customers today”.
- Interest: arouse interest with facts, statements or observations.
We integrate the value proposition and competitive advantages of our offer into a powerful text.
“With X thousands of new users in 3 months, the XY platform is the assurance of finding qualified customers automatically and at an acquisition cost divided by 3 compared with traditional prospecting.
- Desire: We’re now going to give the reader the clear advantages of our value proposition, taking care to convert the characteristics of the offer into tangible benefits for them.
“3 times as many customers, without prospecting and for the same price… Admit it, your turnover wouldn’t say no”.
- Action: insert a clear, immediate and relevant call-to-action to convert the reader into a customer, subscriber, etc.
“Ready to take your customer portfolio to the next level? Then sign up now for the XY platform by clicking on this link!”
Copywriting, a formidable tool in the e-merchant’s marketing arsenal
As one of the most important communication elements in e-commerce and digital marketing, knowing how to do copywriting for e-commerce enables you to create formidable conversion processes, a clear and unique positioning for your store, and engage loyal customers over the long term.
All this is made possible by a codified, scientific approach to persuasive writing.
Indeed, copywriting involves learning about your customers’ problems in depth, and finding the right words to speak to them.
But it also means writing with objectives in mind, always seeking to convey THE essential point of your offers, and turning technical details into tangible benefits.
As an e-commerce expert for over 15 years, don’t hesitate to contact me so that I can help you create and optimize your e-commerce store, as well as your communication strategy.
