The writer and activist Maya Angelou once said of writing:

“The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.”

Of course, we may all aspire to one day be able to write with the skill and influence that Angelou had, but this is unlikely to happen.

However, there are certain tricks and tips you can draw upon to help quickly improve the quality of your copywriting, one of which is known as the “four Cs”.

Read on to find out about the four Cs of good writing and how they can help you on your journey to becoming the next Maya Angelou, or at least a better copywriter.

1. Clear

The best copywriting avoids jargon and doesn’t make the reader work hard to understand the purpose and the message. It should be clear and easy to decipher.

So, how do you do that?

One simple way to make your writing clearer is to ensure it’s easy to scan, so it’s comprehensible even for people who will only glance at it.

To do this, you can put your key points in bullets at the top, or you can use subheadings that correspond to your main title, so the argument flows naturally throughout the piece and can be gleaned through a quick scroll.

It’s also important to make sure each of your sections covers one main point and always returns to how that point links back to the main argument of the piece.

By making sure your writing is clear, you ensure the most fundamental point of all writing: being understood.

2. Concise

Mark Twain once said:

“Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.”

As well as being humorous, this quote also contains valuable lessons. Good copywriting says as much as possible in as few words as possible. Readers have limited time and attention, so long-winded explanations or unnecessary filler can cause them to lose interest.

When editing your work, look for words, sentences, or even entire paragraphs that don’t add value. If a sentence can be shortened without losing meaning, shorten it. If a complicated phrase can be replaced with a simpler one, replace it.

Concise writing doesn’t have to mean taking away all the personality and detail of your work. Rather, it’s about ensuring every word in the final copy has earned its place.

3. Compelling

Compelling writing should arouse the reader’s curiosity or emotions and push them to read more.

Editing your writing to be clearer and more concise may be quite simple, but making it compelling can be a bit trickier.

One of the best ways to do so is to focus on the reader. Rather than simply listing the facts and information that support your argument, explain why they matter to the person who’s reading them. This might mean using examples or outlining the benefits and outcomes of the topic you’re discussing.

Other ways to make your writing more compelling include:

• Writing strong headlines
• Using emotive language
• Using an example to narrativise a topic
• Asking rhetorical questions of the reader.

Even just small changes in the words you use and your sentence structure can help to grip readers and make them feel more as they read your work.

4. Credible

Finally, good copywriting must be credible. No matter how persuasive your writing is, readers are unlikely to trust it if it feels exaggerated or misleading.

Credible writing should be honest and backed up with evidence where possible. This could include statistics, links to trusted sources, or client experiences.

It’s also important not to overpromise. Claims that sound too good to be true (and are) can make your audience sceptical, which may mean they don’t trust you. Instead, aim for confident but realistic language that is an honest representation of what you can offer.

Tone can also help with credibility, and you need to understand your audience to ensure you get it right. While it’s always important to sound professional, you may want to adopt a more conversational or authoritative voice, depending on who you are writing for.

Ultimately, credibility helps to build trust with your audience, and trust can often help to ensure they take action.

Get in touch

If you’re looking for someone to write your newsletters, social media posts, or brochures, get in touch. Who knows, you may even stumble across the next Maya Angelou…

Email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300 to find out how we can support you.