Conversions are at the top of every marketer’s wish list. You’ve defined your brand, created a snazzy logo, and launched your website. What else is there? Microcopy! These little words and short sentences reinforce your brand identity and have a big impact on whether your website visitor moves to another site or complies with your all-important call to action. Microcopy isn’t so small it’s hard to read. Rather it is brief, informative, and reflective of your brand’s “personality.”
Less is More
You may have a hundred words of advertising copy and even more in e-mail blasts, but sometimes economy is vital. Welcome to the world of microcopy. These small bits of information directly affect your conversions and the user experience. Say you want visitors to your website to subscribe to your blog or newsletter. You could write a paragraph or two explaining this, hoping users read it all, and hoping users comply with your call to action. Alternatively, you could simply write “Join the Party” on your subscription button. Less is definitely better in this circumstance. Use the fewest words possible to convey your message. When it comes to microcopy, even the slightest change can make a difference. As in the earlier example, the microcopy on your subscription button might just read, “sign up.” It’s accurate and straightforward. If your company vibe is fun and easygoing, you might want something that better represents your business. Writing “shop” is less effective than “buy now.” Having the right words in the right place makes a big difference.
Placement Matters
The less room you have for copy, the more important copy placement becomes. If you’re labeling a button on a website, make sure to place that button where users are most likely to see and respond to it. This is also important for form-field descriptions and error messages. A message that simply displays “error” is less effective – and far more frustrating to the user – than a message asking the user to “enter a valid e-mail address.”
To Whom It May Concern
Microcopy is a key part of your overall business marketing plan and has a lot to do with the user experience. Thus, it’s important to remember the nature of your business as well as the likes and needs of your customers. Tailor microcopy messages to your target audience just as you would any other marketing material.
Review and Improve
Take time to review every aspect of your website to ensure everything there fits your company’s “vibe.” Look at ways to improve the customer experience, including the voice and phrasing of your microcopy. Your brand needs a unified identity; having a unified website goes a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Because you have so little text with which to work, design, location, and context are significant.
Tools for Success
Now that you have a better idea what you need, take some concrete steps to achieve your goal. At the top of the list are these three tips:
Clearly and comprehensively define your brand. Think of your brand as a person interacting with your customers. What would this person do? How would this person speak? How do you want this person to make your customers feel? When you have clear answers to these questions and know the “personality” you wish to develop for your brand, create a thorough brand kit.
Write great copy. Your copy should reflect your brand as completely as possible. You can write the copy yourself or hire a copywriter. If you choose to tackle this yourself, but lack experience, pick up a copy of Joseph Sugarman’s The Adweek Copywriting Handbook and read The Copy Hacker’s Blog. If you prefer to hire a writer, make sure your new hire understands who you are as a brand. You can post the position on ProBlogger or Upwork to find the best candidate.
Test and retest! In all aspects of marketing, it’s wise to test for effectiveness. Do some A/B testing with your microcopy. Platforms like Optimizely® can help with this. Crazy Egg® enables you to determine which parts of your website are most popular with people who visit your site.
Bring It Together
By its very nature, microcopy is often overlooked and undervalued. To achieve success and unify your brand, it’s important to use every tool at your disposal; that includes microcopy. Those little words really do make a difference in your conversion rates. Be proactive and craft your microcopy to work for your brand.
For help writing and placing microcopy or putting together your overall marketing plan, contact The Profit Link, a small business support team based in Memphis, TN. We want to link your business to profit today!