Creative copywriting? ARTvertise your copies with the help of these tips! [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]
According to Claude Hopkins in the book, “Scientific Advertising,” pictures in advertising are very expensive―not only in the cost of good artwork, but also in the cost of space.
He said,
“From one-third to one-half of an advertising campaign is often staked on the power of the pictures. Anything expensive must be effective, else it involves much waste.”
What is Hopkins’ advice to marketers and copywriters about using photos?
Use pictures only to a certain degree in your drafts!
Hopkins believes art in advertising is a study of paramount importance. When you plan to add photos or any other graphic art in your written content, you shouldn’t just use them to attract attention or decorate an ad.
Keep in mind that as a copywriter, you’re writing about an important subject that will determine whether or not your target market will transact with your brand or act on a specific call-to-action. Therefore, make sure the photos you use will help you form a better selling proposition in your copies.
Here’s the thing:
You might feel that looking for pictures to include in your articles isn’t a big deal. After all, you’re a writer! Your main focus should be on written words and not on visual art or images.
However…
In today’s digital world, photos are helpful in creating impactful articles that capture readers’ attention. Sometimes, editors even ask that you find images to accompany your copies.
This means regardless of your main focus as a copywriter, you have to know how to balance texts with captivating pictures.
Benefits of Including Images in Your Copies
Other than making your written output look visually appealing, photos have many uses and advantages when incorporated in your content. These include:
- Helping readers understand what you’re writing about. Diagrams and infographics do wonders in helping explain your message to your readers. Use these visuals to make your copies more effective and user-friendly.
- Creating a pause in reading texts. Most readers wouldn’t want to read a long, uninterrupted stream of text in your copy. Placing relevant and captivating photos will provide your target market with a short break before they resume reading the rest of your content.
- Telling a story. Sometimes, pictures are better at communicating a story than mere written words. For example, including an image of an emotional family that’s reunited after a tragic event may connect with a reader more effectively compared to when the story is only written.
- Grabbing attention. Images grab readers’ attention better than a block of text. They help keep your target market interested in reading your copy.
Now that you know some of the benefits of including images in creating attention-grabbing articles, the next question that needs to be answered is…
“How can I choose the right image or marketing graphics?”
It’s not enough that you simply know the benefits of using photos in your copies. You also have to know the right ones to use!
Even if you include a lot of images in your content, if they do not complement your written marketing message or are not appealing in your readers’ eyes, they won’t work to your brand’s advantage.
As Hopkins said, it will just be a waste of space in your copies.
How can you prevent that from happening?
One way is to carefully assess the photos or graphics you’d like to incorporate in your content.
Below are a few guidelines to take note of:
- Consider the quality of an image. Make sure the photos you use are clear and have high resolution. This will make your content more appealing and eye-catching.
- Use vibrant photos. Pictures are part of the things that readers immediately notice in an ad or copy, so keep your visuals vibrant and relevant to your topic.
- Make sure your pictures work with your written content. Your photos have to work with your text for overall appeal. Example: An instructional infographic could come in handy for a technical article; an emotional image could work for an inspirational literary piece.
- Avoid trite images. Some pictures are clichéd and have been used many times in different articles. If you know that a particular photo is generic, cross that off your list. Instead, choose something more unique and interesting so it won’t bore your readers.
According to Hopkins, some pictures tell a story better than written words can.
BUT!
He also mentioned in his book that you must make sure the photo you use will help reinforce your message and effectively sell your goods or services to your target market.
With a right balance between texts and pictures, you’ll be able to create more attractive and compelling copies that will hook your readers.
Take note as well that you don’t have to force including images in your write-ups when it’s not appropriate to do so. Even if it’s good to have photos and other graphics in your drafts, sometimes they’re not necessary.
Be a well-versed copywriter in maximizing the power of both words and images!
As Hopkins said,
“Images and text should work together to bring harmony to your article, and they should make your points much more powerful.”
Apply the tips above as you add images to your copies!
If applicable, combine the power of words and pictures to create striking articles that compel your target market to read your write-ups and interact with your brand!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Tuesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write a copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
…to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or to avail of your service.
And when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is a great copy!
Every Tuesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
Powered by Valens Research
www.valens-research.com
