The old adage, less is more, is definitely true when it comes to copywriting. Not since middle school, when I had to reach a minimum page number on reports, has using unnecessary adjectives to form stretched out descriptions been an actual thing. I mean, who does that, right?! Well, you’d be surprised. There are tons of copywriting factories out there that produce generic content – that they charge an arm and a leg for – that has word minimums set; this means the writers are writing to fill a page, not to promote a company’s individual brand.
If you are a business owner and in the need of copywriting for your website, mail outs, email campaigns, or really anything marketing related, my advice is to search for someone you can work directly with. You do not want the message behind your brand to get lost in bloated copy that has nothing to do with your company.
Copy is meant to engage, entertain, and inform. Sure, there are times when you need a little filler content, but please do not talk in circles just to fill that space! Bloated copy is one of the quickest ways to lose the interest of your potential clients. If I go to your website, I want to easily find the answers to my questions; I do not want to sift through paragraphs of random sentences to find what I am looking for.
Each time you are writing, you should be answering a question, describing a feature, or painting a picture for a brand. You should never be writing just to write. If you can make your point in 10 words, do so; if you need to use 100 words to deliver it, do so. Delivering your message is what it is all about.
“Once you’ve dressed, and before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off.”
-Coco Chanel
I like to think of words like accessories, do I really need all of this to look my best? Following the words of Coco, I should probably take something off – or in this case, use less words!
If you’re a writer, whether you are composing your resume cover letter, scripting a commercial, or producing web copy, always make sure you are driving home your main message while engaging your readers and entertaining them. If you are a company looking to have copywriting done for you, always hire an experienced writer that will get to know your brand and not some low-quality, mass producing, copywriting site.