Become the Sherlock Homes of Analytics to Make Your Copy Next Level
Alright, my fellow copywriters, let's talk about how to use analytics to slay your copywriting game like Beyoncé on stage.
I know what you're thinking, "Analytics? That sounds boring and technical like listening to Ben Stein read the phone book." But trust me, when it comes to writing copy that grabs attention and converts like a charm, data is your friend.
Analytics
So, first things first. What the heck are analytics? Well, imagine you're Sherlock Holmes, and your website is a crime scene. Analytics are the clues that help you figure out who did it…
Or, in the case of your copywriting, what's working and what's not working on your website, sales page, or in your funnel? They're the numbers and stats that tell you how many people are visiting your site, where they're coming from, what pages they're looking at, what buttons they are pushing, and how long they're staying.
Now, you may be thinking, "Great, so I know how many people are visiting my site, but how does that help me write better copy?" Ah, my dear Watson, let me explain.
Let’s think like the murderer… I mean the customer… shall we?
The Customer’s Journey
Jane came across your ad on Instagram. Something you said caught her attention, so she clicked the little button to go to your opt-in page for the freebie you advertised.
The problem is she never put in her information to opt in and get the freebie. How do you know? The evidence or analytics told you so. In this case, you would edit the opt-in copy to stress the benefits Jane will experience from your freebie.
Say she did opt-in and downloaded your freebie, but in the follow-up sales emails, she opened them but never clicked the CTA to the sales page.
The analytics would show a low click through rate, and you might need to polish up your call to action so more people get to your sales page.
For a website, analytics can tell you what pages are getting the most traffic, which can help you identify what topics and copy styles are resonating with your audience. It can also tell you which pages have a high bounce rate, meaning people are leaving your site after only a few seconds.
This could mean your copy isn't engaging enough, your hero section could need some zhuzh, or maybe it isn't speaking to the right audience.
But wait, there's more! Analytics can also help you figure out what keywords people are using to find your site and where they are coming from. If you have a lot of traffic from one source and a high-ranking keyword, you might want to look into targeting people from the traffic source and integrate that keyword in more of your copy.
Data like this is especially good in creating a blog strategy!
This can give you insight into what your audience is searching for and what language they're using to describe their needs and pain points. This is key information when it comes to writing copy that speaks directly to your audience's needs and desires, which is copywriting gold.
It’s arguably the most difficult aspect of writing good copy. Because even the best writing can land two totally different ways based on the audience who’s reading it, the deeper you understand your audience, the better your copywriting can be for them.
How to start improving your copywriting based on your analytics?
So, now it’s time to put on your funny little detective’s hat and do some investigating! How do you actually use analytics to improve your copywriting?
Here are a few tips to get you started…
Top Performers
Whether you are trying to up your email marketing game or improve your sales funnel, look at what parts are working the best and analyze the copy in that section. Are there certain phrases or headlines that are particularly catchy?
Are you using lots of visuals or videos that seem to be resonating with your audience? Use this information to inform your future copy and content strategy.
Lowest Performers
Now find the parts that are not as high as you would anticipate. Doing research on industry norms for each of these elements is necessary here because that 3% click-through rate might be stellar in one industry but crap in another.
Identify your high-bounce rate pages or places with lower engagement than expected and figure out what's turning people off. Is the copy too dry or technical? Is the benefit not clear? Could you strengthen your call to action? What actions are your visitors taking or not taking? Use this information to make your copy more engaging and to clarify your messaging.
Your Language Matters
Pay attention to your keywords and use them to inform your copy. Make sure you're using the same language and terminology that your audience is using.
This will help your copy feel more relatable and relevant to your target market. It could also offer insight into your target audience beyond their demographics!
Test, Test, Test
Testing is vital to gain information to help you solve the mystery of the low click through rate or high bounce rate. If your emails aren’t getting opened, A/B test your subject line. Launch two funnels with different calls to action or structures to see what your audience reacts most to.
After each launch, campaign, or quart, collect all the data from all your marketing analytics and figure out how you can use that to understand your audience better. Follow their journey. Follow the number. Test and polish your copy accordingly.
Sometimes it takes a few launches to really understand what’s working and revamp the copy accordingly.
Whether you are looking at your own analytics or your clients, analytics are a powerful tool in your copywriting arsenal. They can give you vital information that will take your copy to the next level.
So… go check out your crime scene, go into your mind palace, and solve the mystery! It’s all elementary, my dear.
And if you need a Watson at your side... let's chat!