The simpler, the better. How can you make your content easy to understand? [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]

“Anyone who feels that if so many more students whom we haven’t actually admitted are sitting in on the course than ones we have that the room had to be changed, then probably auditors will have to be excluded, is likely to agree that the curriculum needs revision.”

Surprisingly, this is a grammatically correct sentence.

But is it one that is easy to read?

Certainly not!

When writing copy, one of the most important things you need to remember is to keep things simple and use familiar words.

“Gunning’s Ten Principles for Clear Writing” breaks this down to two different guidelines– Prefer the simple to the complex and Prefer the familiar word. Since they’re very similar, we’ll take them as one in this article.

Last week, we talked about how to keep sentences short. This week, we’ll talk about how to simplify the language you’re using.

The most effective message or statement is the easiest to understand.

You might think using unfamiliar and deep words effectively showcases your mastery over the English language. That might be the case, but what good is what you’ve written if not many readers would understand and appreciate it?

The same goes for complex sentences. If there are too many ideas and transitions in just one sentence, it becomes confusing and messy!

To effectively get your message across, use language that at the very least a 9th grader can understand.

This is crucial in copywriting, where you aim to engage and connect with as many people as possible.

Look back at the copies you’ve made so far. Can you truly say they’re simple enough for others to understand?

If not, it’s now time to change it up!

Here’s how you can simplify your sentences and use familiar words:

Combine two related sentences – Are there times when your paragraphs feel like a few sentences too long? That’s because it might be!

One of the best ways you can simplify your writing is by connecting two related sentences together! There are times a second sentence follows up on the previous sentence’s idea. This can make a paragraph unnecessarily long.

Combining two sentences encourages you to use simpler words and phrases, and express an idea more quickly!

Instead of: This brand worked on a successful marketing campaign. This marketing campaign focused on improving the brand’s image.

Use: This brand worked on a successful campaign that focused on improving their image.

Know who you’re writing for – Copywriting is all about publishing content to a target audience. It’s highly likely there are terms and phrases that certain groups of people are familiar with. Use those so you can quickly connect with them.

Keep in mind though that while targeting a specific audience is essential in copywriting, it is still important to make it easy to understand. This way, you can make your content relatable to a wider group of people!

Be precise and concise – Using words that are more straightforward makes your sentences simpler.

Precise and concise words help you express your ideas in as little words as possible. This makes for snappier slogans and fun to read articles!

There are times when being precise and concise means using big words that best capture your idea. Go ahead and use them. Just remember not to fill your whole copy with big words.

Simplicity is key in effective writing. By taking this approach, you can create content that is easier to understand by using words that everyone knows well!

Short and simple… those are elements of good copy!

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

This content is used with permission from The I Institute and The Business Builder Daily.

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