Good and Bad Copywriting Trends in the Digital World

Writing for the web is much different than writing a book or newspaper article. When it comes to creating online content, there is a certain set of guidelines every writer should follow if they want their writing to stand out from the crowd and draw attention from curious readers.

Avoid Filler

More often than not, online readers want facts, not fluff. Filler content does little more than potentially result in your written work being flagged by Google as spam, or losing credibility as a writer. People look to the web for information that solves their problems, entertains them, and gives them a reason to come back for more.

Originality

What may be more important than avoiding filling the gaps with fluff is writing content that is truly original. Sure, there’s bound to be content online that has similar ideas, but blatant plagiarism is highly unethical. Utilize the vast internet to generate some ideas if you’re experiencing writer’s block, but be sure to make it your own.

Long-Form

Long-form content is making a comeback. Previously, copywriters were typically encouraged to write short snippets that readers could digest in the blink of an eye. Now, the rules have changed and long-form content is making a return. Many readers now want more information at their disposal, all in one place.

Interviews

Interviews used to be fairly blase. In the past, few people were interested in reading the ongoing verbal match between interviewer and interviewee. However, with the surge of influencers paving the way, there’s a renewed interest in what people have to say. The key is structuring interviews so they keep a reader’s attention throughout.

Educational Content

Content needs to inform its readers and teach something new. Instead of preaching why someone should buy a product, today’s content should answer why and how the product is beneficial with at least some insight as to how the product actually works rather than acting as a sales pitch.

Curated Content

Writing that is intertwined with videos, gifs, or visual content in general is also in fashion. Copywriters only have about a minute to captivate their audience’s attention. Using visuals (along with well-written content) goes a lot further than seemingly endless rambling.

Transparency

If copywriters do nothing else, they should stop trying to use clickbait to attract their target audience. There are few things more irritating than realizing the headline is nothing more than a feeble attempt to drive traffic to a lackluster website. It’s deceptive to the reader and a lazy approach in attempting to increase engagement.

Final Thoughts

Trends may come and go, but one thing will always remain the same, readers want content that is actually worth reading. Create content that is practically begging to be read (sans the clickbait headlines); something that creates a sense of trust among your readers to assure them that your writing is worth coming back to.