Even the most seasoned writers can use a refresher now and again. Everyone believes they can write, but the real question is whether you can write well. Here are 6 quick copywriting tips to keep your writing sharp.

Copywriting Tips to Start Using Today

Watch out for repetitive redundancy

ATM machine. PIN number. And the worst: SEO optimization.

Remember that acronyms stand for things. ATM = automatic teller machine; therefore, when you write ATM machine, you’re really writing automatic teller machine machine. ATM will do.

A business is an it, not a they

In order to sound more friendly and approachable, companies often talk about themselves using the inclusive we. Watch a few commercials, and you’ll almost certainly hear, “At Company X, we believe…” I’ve certainly written that way about my own clients for years. It’s an effort to humanize that which isn’t human – a brand. But when referring to a business as an entity, use it, not they.

Get your decades in order

When you’re writing about decades, remember where to put your apostrophes. If you’re leaving off the first two digits of a four-digit era (ie, ’70s, ’00s) put an apostrophe at the beginning. But DON’T put an apostrophe before the s:

Incorrect: 1980’s, 90’s, 2000’s
Correct: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s or ’80s, ’90s, ’00s

You only use an apostrophe before an s to make it possessive, not to pluralize it.

The Dos and Don’ts of Dos and Don’ts

Too often, bloggers will write lists of “Do’s and Don’ts.” Unfortunately, only one of these words requires an apostrophe. Because don’t is a contraction of do not, the apostrophe stands in for the missing letter. But an apostrophe before an s makes is possessive, not plural (which is what we want). Therefore,

Incorrect: Do’s and Don’ts
Correct: Dos and Don’ts

Related: FAQs (not FAQ’s), Q&As (not Q&A’s), CTRs (not CTR’s)

Avoid hyperbole and fluff

Some words and phrases are meaningless, and they are usually added when writers are trying to meet a minimum word count requirement. Avoid these at all costs.

Examples: “There’s something for everyone.”
“… and everything in between.”
“You’ll love it.”
“The possibilities are endless.”
Instances of very and really
Adjectives like great, terrific, fabulous, epic

Here are some ideas on what to use instead.

Go easy on the exclamation points

As I shared before, writers sometimes try to infuse energy into their copy by overusing exclamation points rather than choosing words to convey passion about the business. This overuse can result in an overeager tone that sometimes borders on desperation. You want to create a voice that’s emotional but still professional.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure any exclamation points you do use are separated by at least 5 sentences. I mean it!

There are tons of ways our writing can improve (mine included). These 6 tips are merely a starting point. Got more to add? Comment below…

Kim Kohatsu
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