14 Snazzy Conversion Copywriting Strategies With Examples [Basic to Advanced]
Hubcopy
When your copywriting project runs on the wheels of research, your concern becomes HOW, not WHAT to write. Learning conversion copywriting strategies should give you the answer.
In the fundamentals of SEO and Copywriting for business owners, we break down the lifecycle of an SEO copywriting project into 3 phases:
- The Research phase
- The Writing Phase and
- The Editing Phase
We’ve covered copywriting research in this previous guide. Now it’s time to write.
Here, you’ll learn 14 actionable copywriting strategies, plus other web writing tips with examples.
To avoid an overly long single article, we split it into two guides with seven strategies apiece, from basics to advanced.
- Part 1: 7 Basic Conversion Copywriting Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know.
Table of Contents
- Part 1: 7 Basic Conversion Copywriting Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know
- Copywriting Strategy #1: Write Selling, Not Just Catchy, Headlines
- Copywriting Strategy #2: Treat Your Sub-Headline Like Your Main Head
- Copywriting Strategy #3: Lead Your Audience Thought
- Copywriting Strategy #4: Sell the Benefits, Not the Features
- Copywriting Strategy #5: Active over Passive Writing
- Copywriting Strategy #6: Copywriting Frameworks Are Lifesavers.
- Copywriting Strategy #7: Consult Swipe Files
- Part 2: 7 Advanced Persuasive Copywriting Techniques for Better Conversion
Part 1: 7 Basic Conversion Copywriting Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know
Every copywriting technique, formula, framework or strategy you’ll ever come across revolves around a principle- Your buyers are incredibly selfish.
Nobody cares about you, your products or services. They only care about their problems and getting them solved.
It’s only when your copy addresses both that they care. So, when creating content for any of your business touchpoints with prospects, you must prove to them that you care.
Only then you’ll have them listen to what you have to say and possibly what you have to sell.
It all begins with getting your headline right. That makes it the first copywriting strategy we’ll discuss.
Copywriting Strategy #1: Write Selling, Not Just Catchy, Headlines
“Write a catchy headline” is bad but popular copywriting advice. The internet has an abundance of that.
If you search Google for How to write catchy headlines.
Here’s what you’ll get.
Even when you get specific with a query like “how to write copywriting headlines,” the result might confuse you.
Look at what tops the result page for that query when I searched:
Looking at the title gives the impression that you are getting your hands on the best copywriting headline tips on the web.
But upon opening the content, here’s what you get;
And that’s what most search result looks like. A more reason you mustn’t always go the Googling way.
There are peculiarities to writing copyheads.
Since the purpose of a copy is to sell, SELLING is the adjective that should qualify your headline.
The argument isn’t against writing a catchy, attention-grabbing, or captivating headline. But can it sell?
Listen to the father of copy.
On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.
David Ogilvy
You might find the rephrased version more explicit.
“Unless your headline sells your product, you have wasted 80% of your money.”
Copyblogger founder Brian Clark reiterated this in his headline writing guide.
Your copy head is everything! On average, a whopping 8 out of 10 people will read your headline, but only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the rest.
Brian Clark
Writing a headline that sells is no rocket science.
Think about it this way-
If your prospects catch a rare glimpse of your copy, can the title reel them in?
You want your answer in the affirmative before hitting the publish button.
It’s that simple. But requires a bit of work. Below are 4 copywriting headline writing tips to ease your craft.
4 Copywriting Headline Writing Tips with Examples
- Capture your prospects’ biggest pain
- Say it as it is.
- Try something sticky
- Evaluate your headline
Copywriting Headline Tips #1: Capture Your Prospect’s Biggest Pain
Your prospects’ pain is the lifeblood of your headline.
It’s your best shot at getting their attention and having them stick around to read the rest of your copy.
- What’s the biggest problem your prospect wants to solve?
- What gives them the most headache
- What wakes them up at night?
You’ve taken the greatest step towards conversion if you nail this number one pain in your headline.
Examples of Biggest-Pain-First Copywriting Headline
Have a look at this Zero-To-Launch landing page by Ramit Sethi.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most powerful web landings you will ever see.
Trapped by a 9-5 job? Struggling to live life the way you want? This headline hit right on that pain.
This headline will suck its audience in, thanks to its biggest-pain-first approach.
Why Biggest-Pain-First Copywriting Headline Works?
Prospects will forget your grammar. They seldom remember your creativity once they are off your page. The only thing that stays with them is their problem.
Craft your headline around that problem, and your brand might come to mind whenever they think about this problem.
Copywriting Headline Tips #2: Say-It-As-It-Is
Sometimes, the best way to write a headline is to go it plain. Just tell your prospect what you do in straightforward language.
You think this isn’t a strategy. Well, it is for two reasons;
- It brings clarity to your message and
- Makes comprehension effortless for your prospects.
What strategy is better than these? You don’t want to sacrifice both for anything.
Let’s see some examples.
Examples of Say-It-As-It-Is Copywriting Headline
Here’s a typical example of say-it-as-it-is from Coinbound. 
You’ll notice the sub-headline uses just a few words. What’s there to elaborate when the headline says it all?
You have less to do in your follow-up line when you use this headline style.
You can even jump straight to the body copy. That’s a salient characteristic in copy headlines that use this approach.
You will see this in the following examples.
Example 2 From Unbounce Homepage
Example 3 From Ahrefs
Why Say-It-As-It-Is Copywriting Headline Works?
Saying it as it is helps you avoid any form of creativity that will hamper the clarity of your message.
Before people will read your body copy, they have to read the first sentence. Your headline is all you’ve got to make them.
Keep it as simple as in those examples. Your audience will appreciate it.
Copywriting Headline Tips #3: Try Something Sticky
Sticky headlines can glue your business to readers’ minds in a snap. They are short, memorable, and to the point.
Though they work on other forms of content, It’s well-suited for homepage copywriting.
From experience, a sticky headline can stick so hard that it becomes difficult for readers to uproot it from their minds.
Here’s the proof.
A few months before writing this piece, while scouring the web. I stumbled on a phrase that reads- Enough of this sheet.
That was on the Coda.io homepage.
Henceforward, the sound, thought, and sight of anything related to documents or sheets brings the Coda.io homepage to memory.
How bad does it stick?
While gathering resources for this piece, the brand’s name somehow escaped my mind.
But you know what- “Enough of this sheet” stays.
I only had to Google the phrase to retrieve it.
So what’s the copywriting lesson in all this?
Why Sticky Copywriting Headline Works?
The reality is that we live in an era of information overload. Prospects are ad-frazzled and content-overfed.
The ability to craft sticky headlines can help you win the war of attention.
Such that- when people are far away from your copy, something about it still lingers in their minds.
In my case…
My first exposure to Coda.io wasn’t on the premise of service hunting. I’ve never been further from making a purchase.
That was me running through the web for a not-so-clear purpose. I wasn’t ready to buy.
However, if I need a service like Coda’s in the future, there’s no doubt the name will come to mind.
That’s a sticky headline for you.
Here’s another impressive headline that sticks from Rock.
You may need to elaborate in the following line whenever you use a sticky headline.
Why?
A Sticky header, at times, doesn’t pass the complete message. You want to make sure your sub-headline does. We take that next.
Copywriting Strategy #2: Treat Your Sub-Headline Like Your Main Head
After the headline comes the sub-headline, also called the sub-title or description line.
It’s the second element in a piece of copy.
You should put the same effort into crafting your sub-headline as the headline.
Why?
- You can right your wrong if you’ve done something wrong in your headline.
And who doesn’t love a second chance? - This is your phrase; “Two heads are better than One.” In this case, 2 copy heads are better than one
We’ve seen a copy whose description does more magic than its title. - There’s no guarantee that anyone will read your body copy. But there’s every possibility people would at least read the hero section of your copy. So, don’t shortchange yourself by skipping the description.
- Your prospects are accustomed to seeing some lines of text under the main head. You don’t want to deny them that user experience.
What’s a Sub-Headline in Copywriting?
A sub-headline, sub-title or description line is the first few words that appear right below the main head.
It has two primary purposes- to ELABORATE and COMPLEMENT the message of the main head.
- ELABORATE: What’s not clear? Clarify it, and
- COMPLIMENT: What’s missing? Add it.
Below is a list of what copywriters use the description line for.
6 Common Use Cases of Copywriting Sub-headline With Examples
Below are 6 great examples of copywriting descriptions you can take inspiration from.
1. Expand The Main Head
Semrush is an all-in-one SEO platform that houses all the tools small and big businesses need to grow and scale search engine visibility.
The headline here shows what Semrush does but leaves readers with the question- HOW?
The sub-headline flawlessly expands on the readers’ concern by highlighting what Semrush offers and how they translate into greater online visibility.
2. Show Before and After Experience
If you’ve heard that creating headlines is the hardest part of copywriting, you’ll disagree after reading this Basecamp hero section.
What’s fascinating about this example is that it’s so mundane and informal. Yet, does the job.
Imagine yourself as a Basecamp user. How do you tell a friend about your experience? That’s what you are seeing here.
3. Bank on Reputation
Technical copywriting is a tricky water to navigate.
How do you whittle down technical jargon for non-techies to comprehend? And more importantly, how do you make the techies buy?
Google is using what it has to get what it needs- its renowned robust cloud infrastructure to incentivize cloud computing clients.
The sub-headline here boasts some features that only a few competitors can match.
When you have a hard-to-beat product, service, or feature, you can bank on it to drive conversion. That is exactly what Google is doing here.
Any brand can use a main head that sounds similar or even better, but only a few can have the sub-headline written like Google’s.
4. Call Out The Ideal Prospects
Look at HubCopy’s homepage.
The copy captures our ideal clients without mincing words. Anyone landing on this page instantly knows if HubCopy is right for them.
Bloggers, solopreneurs and eCommerce store owners who need content but don’t have the time and bandwidth to write.
This sub-headline stratagem is what you can replicate. Effortlessly.
5. Hit on Some Features
GetResponse sub-headline lists what the product does.
Prospect: What can I do with GetResponse?
GetResponse: Easily send emails, create landing pages and automate your marketing.
You can write your description using this straightforward question-and-answer style.
You know best what features your product has. Use the follow-up line to inform prospects.
6. Sell the Outcome
Sometimes, writing your sub-headline can be as simple as highlighting the result of using your product.
SomniFix added a bullet list of what the user gets after use.
One insight you should take from this example is that you don’t need to be clever to craft a good sub-headline. Simple sells better.
You can write your description using any of the above methods. There’s no one-size-fits-all.
The depth of your research will help you determine what works best for your audience. Plus, there’s no crime in testing.
Copywriting Headline Tips #4: Evaluate Your Headline
You want to be sure that all you’ve done so far is a good use of time. How?
EVALUATE. That’s it.
Your leading lines must push prospects down to the body copy or even make them take action.
After writing it, you should test to ensure they’re doing nothing but that. To go about this, put on your readers’ hat.
If you want to continue reading or take action after reading your headline and description, congrats! You’ve done a great job.
Your headlines should be interesting enough to make people want to listen to your next words.
BUT…because it’s your work, that might be tricky as it’s easy to feel yourself.
As an alternative, look for people in your network whose profiles match your target audience to perform this experiment.
Just as Joseph Sugarman put it:
All the elements in an advertisement are primarily designed to do one thing and one thing only: get you to read the first sentence of the copy.
Copywriting Strategy #3: Lead Your Audience Thought
This copywriting strategy makes writing copy a breeze and reading more interesting for your prospect.
To lead your audience’s thoughts is to think like them.
And to think like them is first to understand their thought process, which boils down to the depth of your research.
When your customers read your copy, what runs through their minds? Two things;
- Questions that need answers
- Objections that need clarification
Here’s how to tackle both;
1. Answering Customers’ Questions as a Copywriting Strategy
Once you secure your audience’s attention with a punchy headline that cushioned their greatest fear, your next big strategy is to instinctively answer questions that pop up as they go through your work.
Here, you are to ensure those questions aren’t blockages but bridges to conversion. How?
Answer them.
Read from the prospects’ point of view.
You will discover a series of questions and a pattern of occurrence as you do.
Answer those questions following the same pattern in your copy. That makes every sentence in your copy lead logically to the next and enhances the flow of your copy.
“The sole purpose of the first sentence in an advertisement is to get you to read the second sentence.”
Joseph Sugarman.
How This Strategy Helps Copywriting Conversion
When you anticipate your prospects’ questions, you can answer them before they worry. This builds trust and makes them slip further down your copy.
It could be all you need to make your copy interesting. Because,
Nobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes it’s an ad.
Howard Gossage.
In an interesting copy, the first sentence makes your prospects want to read the second. The second leads to the third. The third links to the fourth. And so on like that till they reach the buy button.
As sweet as that sounds, you can’t achieve such fluency in a copy without covering your audience’s thought process.
Now, your prospects are in, and you don’t want them to bounce. Do this next:
2. Play Down Prospects’ Objections in Your Copy
Any time your copy boasts your product can do this or that, their subconscious minds throw objections.
You need to do well in playing down these objections.
Source: Google
Mind you, don’t try to make false claims or empty offers. As they shoot, you counter-shoot with social proof.
What’s Social Proof?
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that makes people adapt their behaviour based on what others are doing.
It is used in copywriting to influence the decision of a prospect. (More on that under psychological triggers).
Here are some examples of customers’ objections and how to tackle them using social proof and others.
- Why should I trust you? Shoot back with testimonials
- Have you done it before? Show them some case studies
- Can you proof it? Put Logos of reputable brands you’ve worked with.
- What if there’s a better alternative? Your value proposition should answer this.
- What if the product is not right for me? Use risk reversal and warranty to give assurance they’re losing nothing.
- Let me try product X out as well. Tell them about the thousands of people who trusted your brand.
- Product Y also offers this and that. Add those things you’ve found out they aren’t doing.
You may not be able to respond to all. But the more you address, the better.
Copywriting Strategy #4: Sell the Benefits, Not the Features
Features tell. Benefits sell.
Features are the tangible characteristics of your product or services that describe what it is and what it does.
While they are essential for prospects to understand what you’re offering, they do not inspire action and aren’t enough to convert people.
Benefits are the positive outcomes, the solutions to pain points, and the transformational experiences your customers can expect.
Say you’re selling a fitness tracker. The features of your product include step counting, heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking.
Great! But showing prospects the benefits is where the conversion happens. What’s in it for me”. That’s all your prospects care about.
Tell them they’ll gain insights into their health patterns, stay motivated to reach their fitness goals and experience a boost in overall well-being. That’s what they are looking for.
Here’s another example.
Say you see the two product descriptions when shopping for a new smartphone.
Feature-Focused Copy
“Introducing the XYZ Smartphone – with a 6.5-inch OLED display, a Snapdragon 800 processor, 128GB storage, and a 48MP camera. Enjoy lightning-fast performance, crystal-clear visuals, and ample file storage.”
Benefit-Focused Copy
“Experience the XYZ Smartphone – where every swipe, tap, and photo captures the moments that matter. Immerse yourself in vivid visuals on the expansive OLED display and feel the power of seamless multitasking with the lightning-fast processor. Say goodbye to storage worries as you capture high-resolution memories with the 48MP camera.”
Which product are you likely to choose?
As you can see, the benefits-focused copy creates a compelling narrative in which you can see yourself.
It speaks directly to your desires and highlights the experience you seek in your next smartphone.
The feature-focused copy, however, just spells out specs without any relatable value to buyers’ needs.
Copywriting Strategy #5: Active over Passive Writing
A compelling copy is action-oriented. It gives out instructions and never nearly slows down.
You must understand the active and passive grammar rules to write an action-oriented copy.
Let’s revise your elementary school grammar lessons.
Look at the following examples;
- HubCopy writes content
- HubCopy launched a copywriting campaign
- HubCopy empowers businesses with content writing
Now, the same expressions in passive form;
- Content is written by HubCopy
- A copywriting campaign was launched by HubCopy
- Businesses are empowered by HubCopy with content writing
The difference is clear. You can feel it. Active tells and compels. Passive begs and cries out.
In the first list of examples, the message is strong, to the point, and concise.
In the second, the expressions are somewhat complicated, weak, and require extra words to convey the same message.
In your interest, It’s best to avoid passive voice altogether. Give the reign to active voice in your copy.
If you ever have to go passive, keep it minimal.
Copywriting Strategy #6: Copywriting Frameworks Are Lifesavers.
Why work hard when you can work smart?
Conceptualizing a copy is about ideas and imagination. They are pictures in your head, which, at times, are difficult to put into words.
But what happens when you have a guide? Writing becomes effortless. Let me explain.
Frameworks are expert done-for-you copywriting structures. They are psychologically persuasive and logically effective.
A lot of people call them formulas. I prefer frameworks.
With a framework, you wouldn’t be starting from ground zero. And you don’t need much time to come up with solid writing.
Copywriting frameworks can make your presentation magnetic.
Whatever service or product you are writing for, frameworks help you cut out the guesswork.
The Problem-Agitate-Solution (PAS) style you see on landing pages is a copywriting framework.
So is the AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) structure used by email copywriters.
Frameworks help keep your writing on track.
Want to save time and effort on copywriting? Frameworks are not only timesavers. They are lifesavers.
And don’t feel shy to use them because everybody does.
Copywriting Strategy #7: Consult Swipe Files
You can’t beat a swipe file for deep insight and inspiration.
Brian Kurtz
Picture this;
You invested time in research. The market and your prospects aren’t alien to you.
You’ve also done well to gather deep knowledge about your product and how it solves your customers’ problems. What’s next?
To start writing. Right? Good.
Straight to your workstation, you head with confidence.
You sat down to write, but to your surprise, everything went white. You drew a blank.
There you are, staring at a blank page, expecting a miracle to happen. After some hours, it seems like an endless wait. At last, the reality dawned on you.
Life happens. As a copywriter, such a scenario is inevitable.
But how do you defeat this type of blockage? You need some inspiration.
As copywriting frameworks help structure your copy, swipe files inspire you to overcome writer’s block.
What Are Copywriting Swipe Files
A swipe file is a collection of successful writing examples that copywriters use to inspire and improve their work.
Think of it as an aggregation of templates, frameworks, and concepts professional copywriters use to inspire their future work.
A swipe file can be a digital or physical folder. It contains headlines, titles, web copy, banner ads, sales pages, email subject lines, landing page examples, etc.
Uses of Copywriting Swipe Files
A swipe is not only useful when the idea is not flowing.
At times, understanding the underlying principles of a swipe is all you need.
Pro copywriters understand the importance of swipes. That’s why they keep them.
If you don’t have one, Swiped.co and swipefile.com are 2 websites where you can find free swipe files.
Every writer loves the idea of creating something out of nothing. But only a few can do that, and not very often. We all rely on the information we consume when it’s time to produce ours. The more you consume, the better you produce. Keep learning”
Part 2: 7 Advanced Persuasive Copywriting Techniques for Better Conversion
The basic copywriting strategies above are must-knows for business owners who want to write their own copy.
But if you want to take your copywriting skill to the next level, check out the second part of this guide, the advanced copywriting techniques.
What’s in?
- Copywriting Technique #1: Use Psychological Triggers
- Copywriting Strategy #2: Use Your Audience Language
- Copywriting Strategy #3: Make Your Copy Scannable
- Copywriting Strategy #4: Use Short Sentences and Paragraphs
- Copywriting Strategy #5: Value Proposition Is Important
- Copywriting Strategy #6: Make Your Copy Conversational
- Copywriting Strategy #7: Do CTAs (Call-to-Actions) Right
Check it out: 7 Advanced Persuasive Copywriting Techniques for Better Conversion.
