Using Specifics in Your Copy
Marketing has always been part art and part science, and marketing research firm MECLABS Institute likes showing how the science supports the art. In one experiment, MECLABS put copywriting techniques under the testing microscope – specifically, you might say, on how the use of specifics improves conversion.
Take a look at the sample copy for A/B versions of an online ad for a software provider:
- #1 On-Demand. 6459+ World Clients. Award-Winning Solution. Free Trial
- Award-Winning Software. Fully Integrated. Free Trial
The first option uses two specifics while the second promotes more general benefits. Though these are good benefits, to be sure, the specific quantifiable statements were even stronger. Conversions for the specific copy treatment were 20.90% higher than that of the general benefits version.
Successful copywriting avoids words that don’t actually say anything. This is why “in business since 1952” isn’t a good headline. It says “long time” but nothing about current benefits. So, if someone’s looking for a contractor who uses a rotary dial to make phone calls, the 1952 point sounds good. It might not resonate, however, with those looking for smart home technology upgrades.
As another example, “Make the right choice” may sound like a good recommendation. But it doesn’t actually tell someone how to make this decision, why it’s right and what the alternative choice would be. Perhaps you protest, “The body copy can explain all that. This is just to get them interested.” Possibly, but keep in mind that most people don’t read past the headline, and it alone accounts for 80% of the ad’s effectiveness.
Your copy would get stronger if you tried: “Make the choice that improves your family’s health.” And even better if you went for something even more specific, like: “Make the choice that removes 93% of the contaminants from your home’s indoor air.”
Specifics attract attention and curiosity while adding credibility.