Good copywriting demands a through-line

I see this too often. Copy sounds well-written. It has style and a sense of identity, but it lacks purpose and direction.

Imagine it like this.

You’ve got your classic fairytale: characters (star-crossed prince and princess, a jealous witch, and some dwarves, probably), setting (castles, spooky forest) and even a plot (some magic spell or a poisoned apple or something).

Now, what would your experience engaging with the copy be like if the princess and prince found a poisoned apple, then got married happily ever after, shortly before the witch puts a spell on the dwarves that turns them all into amphibians.

What a load of shit

It’s just a bunch of different elements all jumbled up, isn’t it? You know there’s supposed to be something familiar happening, but it’s all scrambled.

It happens when people omit the glue that makes everything meaningful – a planned theme, or idea that sits behind the message.

Think of it like a metronome for your copy.

Ask yourself this whenever you write your copy

What’s the purpose of this copy you’re writing? What are you trying to do with it? What do you want the reader to do after they’ve read it?

Consider the thread running through your copy. Does it build to a climax? Is there consistent momentum propelling the reader along? Otherwise, you’ll end up with some half-baked blog post using tenuous fairytale analogies to illustrate a point about poor copywriting.

We can do better.

Get in touch if you need a hand.