Why Copywriters Need to Understand Human Psychology
When it comes to copywriting, many people make a big mistake. They define copy as an art form without even thinking about the science behind it. You might argue: isn't putting ideas into words an art? And you'd be right because it is. But, more importantly, copywriting is closely related to science, namely psychology.
There is a clear link between copywriting and psychology. Think of successful marketing strategies like Vogue, which publishes only the hottest articles, or Nike, which maintains brand interest through social media content. To bring these ideas to life, every company needs a copywriter. They, in turn, need a good understanding of human behavior to create compelling content. If you are still wondering why would a copywriter needs to be a psychologist, let's discuss it in detail.
The Fundamentals of Psychology-Based Copywriting
At Cute Cats Copy, we are 100% confident that the better copywriters understand human psychology, the better sales and the more effective marketing articles they can create. Proper writing can attract and retain readers and motivate them to buy a product, order a service, or follow the link.
Content creation utilizes tricks like these:
- Triggers.
- Emotional appeal.
- Visuals.
Before starting to write an article, professionals research and analyze the pain points and interests of the audience, as well as the primary purpose the content should serve. In this way, they get the data that will be used to create a compelling text.
That's why when asked whether a copywriter is a marketer, we only smile. A true professional should not just be able to put ideas and thoughts into words. He must also be a marketer and a psychologist to develop an approach that can be implemented to interest a potential customer.
Is it Ethical to Use Psychology-Based Copywriting in Marketing?
Absolutely yes! The fact is that any information that is published on websites is deeply rooted in psychology. Connecting with the person who will read your content is necessary for advertising and sales and for providing exciting and valuable informational content. Even to write this article, we analyzed the interests of our readers to understand if they would want to read it :)
Regarding copywriting psychology, many beginners need clarification on two concepts: manipulation and persuasion. Let's say at once that we don't use the first of them, and we don't recommend anyone to do it. So what is the difference? Let's think about it:
- Manipulation involves dishonest techniques to induce a potential customer to buy a product or order a service. An example of manipulation is leading questions such as: "How much do you agree with ...". The answer does not even suggest that the user may disagree.
- Persuasion involves the use of logical arguments aimed at proving the benefits of a product or service to a potential customer.
Which mental method of impact would you like more? We think it will be a persuasion. You wouldn't want to be manipulated if you were your clients. That's why it's perfectly normal to use the psychology of persuasion in copywriting instead of manipulation.
How to Use Psychology for Better Copywriting: Top Tips
Whether you're writing SEO-optimized articles or product descriptions, there are several ways to apply psychology to copywriting. We've gathered the most effective ones to help you create a marketing strategy.
1. Poke Their Pain Points
Your customers only buy a product or order a service to solve their problems. For example, you need to promote an acne treatment. You are well aware that your audience will be people who suffer from this problem, so you should focus on them. Often, such people suffer from low self-esteem. They believe that society will perceive them better if there are no pimples. It is this message that can be included in your content.
2. Identify the Strongest Benefits at the Beginning
Studies show that the human brain is much better at absorbing information than it reads at the beginning of a text. There is even a saying: "The first impression is the last impression." Set a strong tone from the very beginning, and then the potential customer will immediately pay attention to the advantages of your product or service.
3. Make Content Easy to Understand
The golden rule of copywriting applies here: the simpler the text, the better. Readers should enjoy the content, not wade through a maze of wordy expressions. You should analyze your target audience and adapt your articles to fit them. Therein lies one of the successes of how to use psychology in marketing successfully. You can always read the finished text to ensure it is easy and exciting.
4. Try Before You Buy
Many online stores offer a warranty on their products, but why not go further and give the potential customer a chance to use the product before they buy it? This approach is different from the standard one. Moreover, the user will not see trite words about high quality and usability. He will have the opportunity to test the product himself and only then make a decision. In this way, the customer's trust in your company will increase.
5. Offer Specifics
Many companies need to learn how to speak the language of their customers, so they lose them. We are sure that on the websites of online stores, you have come across many empty words that have no meaning for you as a customer. We recommend offering users specifics. Compare two examples: "Buy our product and you will feel better" and "Buy our acne remedy and in three days they will be much less, and in five days they will disappear and you will feel comfortable and confident when meeting the opposite sex."
6. Use Storytelling
The narrative is divided into three parts: the introduction, the conflict, and the conclusion (preferably a happy end). You can use real or fictional characters for impactful storytelling. One piece of advice: give your characters the qualities your target audience has. That way, they will feel something in common with them, and the story will be more compelling.
7. Use Personalization
How to use psychology to influence human behavior? Personalization is a great way to communicate with your customers. And it's not just about addressing them by name in an email (although that has a significant effect too). Adapt your content and how you write it based on the needs of your target audience. People will be more excited and enthusiastic to read something that resonates with their hearts than "gray" generic information.
How to Combine Psychology and Copywriting
You've already gotten the answer to why copywriters need to understand human psychology and also learned what techniques to use. But how do we use them in communication with potential customers? Here are a few tips:
Start by researching the product or service. You need to know not only the generalities but also the nuances. This way, you can logically explain all their benefits so that a person will want to buy or order them.
Research your target audience. When you know their problems, pain points, and weaknesses, you will be able to offer solutions. Combine this knowledge with the information from the previous point to influence your potential customers' motivation.
Summarize all the information and come up with a few tactics. Try implementing them one at a time to find the most effective one.
To Sum Up
We hope we have explained why a copywriter needs to be a psychologist and why the power of psychology in this profession is so great. There is only one small step left — take the suggested techniques and start putting them into practice.
By the way, all our copywriters actively use these techniques, that's why our articles are so interesting to read. Do you want your content to become the same? Contact us, and let's discuss your project!