Copywriting is not an easy task for many business owners, but it’s a skill that you must embrace, if you want to succeed online. From advertisements, to websites, to social media—compelling copy is essential.

The good news is, copywriting is a skill you can learn, improve, or in many cases, outsource. Here are some tips and tricks you can use to write killer copy for web, email and social media.

Write in an active voice, especially for headlines.

Writing in an active voice strengthens your message, while giving you, the business owner, an opportunity to express benefits and features in a way that moves customers into action.

Take this headline for example, “Collagen Boost was created to help improve fine lines and wrinkles.”

While this sentence is informative, and gets right to the point, you want your customer to imagine themselves gaining the immediate benefit of the product, like so:

• “Collagen Boost helps you improve fine lines and wrinkles.”
• “Improve fine lines and wrinkles today, with Collagen Boost.”
• “Smooth fine lines and wrinkles with Collagen Boost.”

8 out of 10 people read the headline of a piece of content, while only 2 will continue reading past that headline. Active voice can help increase the reader’s curiosity, and persuade them to read your entire message.

Be concise and make copy easy to digest.

We’re all guilty of sometimes skimming over an article, rather than reading it all the way through. In addition to your font style, size and colors, make a point to be mindful of the copy length and readability.

• Pare down lengthy paragraphs into 1-2 sentence chunks.
• Summarize paragraphs with 3-4 bullet points.
• Use images, to express complex, humorous or pointed ideas.

Readible.io is a great tool, to help you measure the readability of your copywriting. You only have a few seconds to grab someone’s attention, so be sure to organize your message in a way that tells the most important part of the story first.

Write a love letter, instead of a marketing message.

Effective copywriting starts with your audience in mind.

• What makes her happy?
• What motivates her?
• What’s her biggest fear?

By definition, a love letter is a way to express feelings of love in written form. Copywriting that pierces hearts and opens wallets is written with the same concept, i.e. positive intent and powerful purpose. Copy that is written with love tells your audience you understand them and know just what they need.

Studies have shown that our brains are hardwired for stories. Whenever you sit down, to write copy, think about how you can convert your marketing messages into love stories, starring your brand, your products and your customers.

[amazon_link asins=’0805078045,1548706957,0993497217,0749473991,1540306461′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’ladybossblo0f-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ae120f42-0558-11e8-8418-315a0013ff84′]

Talk like a human.

The most common, and novice mistake, in copywriting, is getting caught up in industry jargon and marketing fluff. Phrases like “best in class” or “value added” are neither useful or quantifiable descriptors, and honestly, they make you sound like a late-night television infomercial.

If you want to write killer copy, peel back the layers of these commonly used phrases and talk about what customers will truly experience when they choose your brand.

For example, if you want to describe your product as “best in class”, talk about the ways in which it exceeds the performance of your competitors.

If your product is “value added”, explain the exact dollar amount, or time savings your customer can expect, based on real testimonies.

Write copy as though you’re having a conversation with another human being, and you’ll never run out of things to say.

Speak your soul.

The best part of copywriting is having the chance to speak your soul, to people who know and love your brand. Sometimes we just need to get something off our chest, and this can be a great time to show the authenticity of your brand.

To find balance between speaking your soul, and writing based on audience needs, use buyer personas. Buyer personas help you define your target audience, so you can easily adapt content and messaging to fit their needs.

This article on How to Create Buyer Personas is a must-read for anyone who is new to buyer personas.

Written content is just one of the ways you can persuade customers to do business with you. This free guide to killer copywriting includes all you need to write emails, social media posts and landing pages that make your customers’ heart sing.

Sharon L. Hadden is the CEO & Lead Marketing Specialist of Social Savvy Consulting Group, LLC. She helps women in business find the sweet spot between content & marketing, so they can reach more women customers.