“Start with empathy. Continue with utility. Improve with analysis. Optimize with love.” – Jonathon Colman
Wondering what makes a good copy?
Tone? Storytelling? Good writing? Design?
Well, it’s all of this and much more.
You may have the perfect brand name and a seductive website design, but all in vain if your web copy is not compelling.
So, what is an EFFECTIVE health copy?
Let me give you a hint…
It is the same way Apple tempts you to trade your hard-earned money for iPhone 12 Pro, and
Amazon persuades you to read books on a Kindle when you prefer a physical copy.
A great copy encourages your readers to take the desired action.
It may sound simple, but this isn’t the case always.
Many health brands or writers may hit a roadblock when it comes to writing web copy.
Here is a “secret” to writing a compelling web copy in 7 easy steps.
To start with, you need to know exactly who you want to encourage to take action…
1. Know Your Target Audience
It’s crucial to define your target audience. While writing a health copy, know whom you are writing for. Is it the patients, general public, or doctor?
The target audience is not just about the demographics. It is also about their behavior, psychology, personality, and lifestyle.
For instance, the target audience could be someone with diabetes between the age of 18-40, having a sedentary lifestyle, and motivated to lose weight.
Once you define your ideal reader, you know how to charm and flatter them. You know their pain points their objections, desires that will resonate with them. Certainly!
Knowing your target audience aids in making your copy more attractive, charming, and persuasive.
2. Offer Benefits and NOT Features
You would love to talk about your products and services. Who would not?
It may excite you to share about your achievements and products’ features. This is where many health brands go wrong.
A hard fact: Your readers are not interested in you, your company, or your products. They are interested in themselves.
The famous direct response copywriter Joe Sugarman has said, “To sell your products, you need to focus on the benefits to your readers.”
How can you go about it?
Create a list of all the product’s features and see how it will benefit your reader.
For instance, your supplement has XYZ nutrients. List down how those nutrients will help your reader with their problems. Here are some ways of doing it:
- A healthy fish oil supplement
Boost your heart health with a fish oil supplement.
- Rich in vitamin D
Say hello to healthy bones with vitamin D.
Do thorough research on the features and convert it to benefits that can help your reader.
3. Note Objections and Clarify Them
Expect objections your ideal reader might have while going through your copy. It could be price, safety, or anything else.
It is best to raise the objection yourself and clear it. This will make the claims credible. And the best way to do this is by asking a question.
For instance, “You may be thinking what if the product has adverse effects.” And justify it by saying, “We have done experiments in the lab and on 12,235 individuals, and no significant adverse effects happened. (Additional tip: Always use a non-rounded figure. It sounds more believable)
Clear objections your reader might have to connect better.
4. Keep it Simple
Nothing kills a good copy other than using complicated words.
See the below two sentences:
- Are you tired of atopic dermatitis? Apply this XYX lotion and see the effect yourself.
- Is your skin allergy troubling you? Relax! We have got your back.
Undoubtedly, the second one is easier to read and thus grasp.
PS: The only exception to this rule is writing for physicians who are expected to know these medical jargons.
Keep the copy simple for an effortless experience.
5. Empathize
Understanding and addressing the reader’s emotions is essential for all copies. Even more so crucial for those related to health!
Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand how they would be feeling. This helps in building a connection with your reader.
If you are a health writer, you may struggle empathizing with your reader if you have never felt it. For instance, you may never understand what being in depression feels like unless you have it.
But in this age of blogging, it is not hard to find something written from the point of view of, say, a person who has overcome depression. There is no better way to understand a patient’s feeling than reading it in their own words.
See beyond WebMD and other health sites and understand the audience’s emotions and empathize with them.
Empathize with your readers to resonate with them.
6. Hook your readers
With so many blogs on the internet, you need to stand out and hook your readers from the first line itself.
After your headline, the second most crucial element in your copy is the first sentence.
According to Joe Sugarman, your copy’s first sentence should be so short and so compelling that it’s almost easier to read than not.
If you hook the reader’s attention in the first few sentences, they are more likely to read it till the end. Imagine it to a slippery slide, something your readers would find it difficult to resist.
One effective way of doing so is by making a provocative statement or keeping suspense. Some examples of the first sentence are:
- Did you know women are equally susceptible to heart attacks?
- Every one in four Indian men have erectile dysfunction.
Some other ways to hook your readers are using active voice, using short sentences, and keeping your ideas transparent.
Hook your readers throughout the copy so that they read from top to bottom.
7. Include Accurate Information
Accuracy builds trust in your readers. While stating a fact, it’s best to back it up with studies and link them as a proof. The more you link your content, the more trusted it becomes.
While doing so, be cautious whom you are linking to and only consider authoritative and quality sites.
For instance, “People with diabetes are more likely to have serious complications from COVID-19.”
Accurate content backed up with research is a key ingredient for health content.
Final Thoughts
All in all, writing a health copy is not only about the tone, writing, storytelling, and design.
The “secret” to be compelling is to know who you are talking to, and understand them better just like a friend. You know how to help them and make them smile. This way, they will feel connected.
Try doing this and you’ll have fun writing a compelling copy, easily. Enjoy!
