Mastering Copy Strategy: A Comprehensive Guide with a Free Template and Real-Life Examples
Last update: 20 December 2023 at 05:36 pm
4.00/5A copy strategy is a one to two-page document that summarizes a digitalmarketing strategy. It helps guide the communication actions that a company wants to carry out.
In other words, a copy strategy is a specification that allows an agency to know exactly what it must do to meet the expectations of an advertiser.
In this article, we give you a definition of copy strategy, as well as explain why and how to create one.
Copy Strategy: Definition
A copy strategy is a roadmap between an advertiser and a communications agency. In concrete terms, an advertiser will ask an agency to create an advertising or marketing campaign. Within this framework, the two parties will agree on specifications.
This document defines the broad outlines of the project that the advertiser entrusts to the agency. It is, therefore, a reference document established at any communication campaign’s launch.
In short: the copy strategy defines all the elements that a communication action must respect. It accompanies, completes and integrates with your brief by providing your agency with framing elements.
Copy Strategy: Why is it essential to create one?
In communication and marketing, a good strategy is essential. A copy strategy meets this requirement.
It is a document that aims to define the strategy that the advertiser’s message should follow. Structuring your promotional campaign, defining the guidelines, and developing the techniques that will be used to create a powerful message is what makes up a good communication strategy.
Coca-Cola ad copy image from ShareThis
If communication is not your business, you should call upon the services of a specialized agency. It can advise you and implement an effective copy strategy. This will give the agency all the elements necessary to create your campaign.
Indeed, the copy strategy gives precise advice on the message to broadcast and the brand tone to favor the alignment between your campaign, objectives, target, and brand positioning.
Therefore, defining a copy strategy summarizes the communication action you want to take and clearly indicates your communication agency.
How do you identify the target audience for a copy strategy?
You must conduct market research and analyze consumer insights to identify the target audience. This involves understanding the demographics (such as age, gender, and location) and psychographics (such as interests, values, and lifestyle) of the target audience.
Gathering data on consumer behavior, preferences, and needs helps in developing content that speaks directly to their interests and motivations.
How to Create a Copy Strategy: 5 Key Elements
The copy strategy comprises five elements that guide the communication and frame the message to be conveyed to an audience.
The Promise
The “promise” of the copy strategy is the reason for the existence of the communication action.
Before you begin writing or before the campaign is launched, any communication action must answer some fundamental questions:
- What is its objective?
- What does it promise to its target audience? Who is its target?
- How can the product or service subject to the communication message meet the customers’ expectations?
- How do these products and services stand out from the competition?
It would be best if you answered these questions at the beginning of your copy strategy. Take the time to summarize the promise your product makes to your customers. This allows the agency to understand how to turn your communication campaign.
The Proof
The proof will support the advertiser’s promise and make it credible.
- How can the advertiser prove it is the best choice for the consumer?
- Is it through years of experience?
- From customer satisfaction?
Copy strategy teams must determine the key points and arguments to make the message credible and trustworthy to its potential customers.
The Benefit
For your brand to stand out amongst your competitors, it is essential to show the consumer the value and benefits that he will be able to get from the advertiser’s products or services.
Slack Facebook ad copy via PowerAdspy
How will they benefit from the promise made? At this stage, the agency in charge of the campaign will have to write copy that is both accurate and provides a positive description of the advertiser’s products and services.
The Tone
To determine the tone, it is essential to have defined the audience and the communication channels. We do not address all customers or audiences in the same way!
- Is the message aimed at a young or older audience?
- Will the message be broadcast on traditional media or social networks?
- Is it to make the audience laugh or to raise awareness?
By defining the advertiser’s target audience and answering these questions, the tone of the message can be adapted appropriately.
The Residual Message
This is the advertising message that the target audience will remember.
It is a fundamental element. It will determine the audience’s opinion of the business’s messages and the company.
This last step of the copy strategy must be used to determine the few fundamental and central elements of the message that will be the most impactful and mark the audience.
Once these five aspects have been reviewed and clearly defined, the team developing the communication action will have a detailed roadmap. It will allow them to get the advertiser’s message across in the best possible way.
Copy Strategy: Example
Let’s take the five elements explained above and apply them to Sortlist. This will show you how to use them and should help you see how to create a copy strategy.
A Little Context
To give you some context, Sortlist is a startup founded in 2014 by Thibaut Vanderhofstadt, Nicolas Finet, Michael Valette, and Charles De Groote. Sortlist reinvents agency selection consulting by offering marketing decision-makers a personalized, data-driven service.
Via the platform, they can identify the most relevant agencies to meet their marketing, creative, and digital needs. To help them in their choice, decision-makers can count on the support of a team of experts at their disposal.
Sortlist attracts start-ups and SMEs that need support on both operational and strategic issues.
Since 2017, Sortlist’s expertise has also been called upon by major accounts, such as Renault, Pernod Ricard, Société Générale, and Ina, to help them remain innovative and competitive.
Example of a Copy Strategy
Promise
Sortlist helps companies find the best digital and marketing service providers to accompany them in their digital strategy. In return, Sortlist helps agencies grow and find clients seeking expertise.
Proof
Every week, more than 700 companies visit Sortlist to find an agency. These companies can be startups, SMEs, or large accounts such as Renault, Pernod Ricard, Société Générale, and Ina.
Benefits
Sortlist allows advertisers to save time and easily find the best service providers on the market.
Tone
Sortlist adopts a serious, neutral tone suitable for startups, large accounts, and SMEs.
Residual message
Sortlist is the platform when your company needs digital support and needs to find an agency quickly without questioning the quality of the work that will be provided.
This is a quick example, but it should give you a better idea of how to create a copy strategy for your future communication campaign.
Other Aspects of a Copy Strategy
We have just seen that a copy strategy is based on five key elements. But in reality, the more the copy strategy is refined, the more parameters will be involved in developing a good marketing strategy.
For example, are there any particular obstacles or difficulties to the communication action?
These may be budgetary or legal restrictions. Sometimes, current events can affect the reception of certain advertisements.
By questioning the strategy and refining the objectives of the message, the copy strategy developed will enable the teams to implement the most appropriate communication action possible.
Unique selling proposition (USP)
The unique selling proposition (USP) is a distinctive feature or benefit that sets a product or brand apart from competitors. It is a critical element of a copy strategy as it helps communicate the brand’s unique value and why consumers should choose it over alternatives.
The copy should highlight the USP prominently to create a memorable and persuasive message.
Emotion
Emotion plays a crucial role in copy strategy as it helps connect with the audience on a deeper level. Copywriters can create a more memorable and impactful message by leveraging emotions such as joy, fear, or empathy.
Storytelling techniques, evocative language, and relatable scenarios can evoke emotional responses and engage the audience more profoundly.
Consistency
Consistency is vital in copy strategy as it helps build brand recognition and strengthens its messaging. Consistent use of brand voice, tone, and messaging across different marketing channels and touchpoints ensures a cohesive and recognizable brand identity.
It helps establish trust and familiarity with the audience, making the brand more memorable and distinct.
Developing Your Copy Strategy
Have you finished writing your copy strategy? Congratulations! Now, the teams of the agency of your choice will have to develop the communication action.
However, you may find that some things won’t work or won’t have the desired effect.
With social networks, communication is no longer a one-way street. The advantage for brands is that they can quickly know what consumers think about them and their products.
It is essential to analyze the reception of your communication activities by the public. Sometimes, advertising messages do not get through, and changes are necessary.
In this case, you should not hesitate to revise your copy strategy, change the tone, or insist on other aspects. Another possibility is to look at the brand’s competitors, see what works well with them, and then adapt your copy strategy.
Also, remember that copy strategy evolves with the brand. It can be a question of a change in positioning, an evolution of the target, or a change of product/service, for example.
So, you must remain flexible and never lose sight of your objective and audience. We tell you more about understanding your audience in this article dedicated to community building.
How do you measure the effectiveness of a copy strategy?
The effectiveness of a copy strategy can be measured through metrics such as engagement rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and sales revenue. It can also be evaluated through customer feedback and market research.
- Engagement rates – include open rates, click-through rates, and time spent on a website or social media post. High engagement rates indicate that the copy resonates with the target audience.
- Conversion rates – This metric measures the percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as purchasing or signing up for a newsletter. High conversion rates indicate that the copy persuades the audience to act.
- Sales revenue – This metric measures the revenue generated from the copy strategy. If sales increase after implementing a new copy strategy, it can be attributed to its effectiveness.
- Customer feedback – Gathering customer feedback through surveys or reviews can help determine if the copy strategy resonates with the target audience and if any improvements can be made.
- A/B testing – Comparing the performance of different versions of a copy strategy can help identify which elements are most effective in resonating with the target audience.
Overall, the effectiveness of a copy strategy should be measured against the goals and objectives set for the marketing campaign.
In Conclusion
All companies build marketing and advertising strategies. They aim to create an identity and stand out from the competition.
In general, companies start with a visual identity. Very often, their advertising messages use the same codes. Some brands also create a sound identity, using a slogan or sounds their customers will remember.
This is, for example, the case of Ixina, whose radio jingle everyone knows.
But beyond the image that brands give themselves, they also define the tone they will adopt:
- Are they addressing young people, older adults, or families?
- Do they adopt a more serious or sarcastic tone?
This tone depends on the image they want to project:
- Do they want to appear modern and innovative or rather conservative and traditional?
- What values do they appeal to?
All these aspects are fundamental when it comes to building a communication campaign. Of course, building a campaign doesn’t happen overnight. It requires real reflection work to be led by your communication agency.
This is where the copy strategy comes in. Thanks to this document, you can carry out your communication campaign.
If you need an agency, go to our site. We can offer a selection to measure according to your needs and project.
