Power words? Say what?
Yes, there are such things as well. And they are very efficient in your copy creation.
You’ve already crossed paths with dozens of power words on social media, websites, landing pages, sales pages, emails, etc. You just didn’t know what they were called, until now.
NEW, NOW, FREE, YOU – does it ring a bell?
Well, words like NEW, NOW, FREE, YOU can have a powerful impact on your audience if they are used at the right moment and with the right tone, so they were named: power words.
The first thing you need to know is that power words are a valuable copywriting technique.
In fact, their job is to:
- get people’s attention, and
- make them take action.
The key here is to find the power words that motivate people and set the right tone to your copy.
Another important thing to remember is that regardless of the power words you are choosing to use, you need to have a specific intention behind everything you write. Otherwise, you will just write power words that will lead you nowhere.
Know your audience (again?!)
I know this is mentioned in every article on copywriting, social media, and even blogging in general, but it’s brought up often for a reason – I can’t stress enough on how important it is to know your audience. Not knowing your target audience is like walking around blindfolded.
In this case as well (when using power words), you need to know who your target audience is in order to use the right power words. Otherwise, you’ll want to sell the best baby wraps on the market to businessmen or teens. How would that work out? It doesn’t matter that your product is NEW or FREE, no one would want it.
Investigate, get to know who your consumers are, and then use power words accordingly. If not, regardless of your great copy and best power words used in your copy, your efforts will be in vain. And you will sell 0 products.
Where to use power words?
- Titles – By using power words in your blog titles for instance, you can grab your reader’s attention faster, and it’s excellent for better click-through rates from social media
- Headlines on social media – focus on creating short and powerful titles to maximize your impact
- Email subject lines: Interesting subject lines can drive email subscribers to click and read your email. And isn’t email the original social media?
- Captions on social media: Make sure to include power words in your social media captions, when it’s relevant and useful
- CTAs on social media: Let your readers know what you want them to do and drive them to act by using the right power words in your CTAs (call-to-action)
- First and last paragraphs: add power words in the first part and last part of your copy – it’s the perfect way to make them visible for your readers
Timeless Power Words
- Now
- Remarkable
- Miracle
- Announcing
- Revolutionary
- Magic
- Introducing
- Offer
- Easy
- Hurry
- Quick
- Wanted
- Suddenly
- Improvement
- Compare
- Amazing
- Challenge
- Bargain
- Sensational
- Startling
Regardless of whether you choose to use the power words above separately or paired together, they work magic in your copy when used well and at the right moment. They are designed to capture your reader’s attention and boost your business.
And a caution, now that you know these power words: You shouldn’t overuse them or cram them all into the same sentence.
Or should you?
Announcing that Now would be an Easy and Sensational way to make Amazing Magic Wanted
Suddenly while Introducing a Remarkable and Revolutionary Offer to Quickly Improve the Challenge of a Startling Miracle – but don’t Compare that Bargain in a Hurry.
Boom! Now that’s POWERFUL! … but it also makes no sense.
So maybe you should not use them all at once, after all.
Increase your social media engagement with power words
Engage your audience and get a response.
That’s what all marketers want to achieve with their copy. But how do you do that without sounding pushy? Yes, you obviously need a different approach if you don’t want to seem as if you are forcing a purchase on your consumers.
So, the most important thing to pay attention to when posting on social media, and you want to use power words is to be relevant, create a context and be aware of the target audience you are addressing the post to.
With that in mind, according to experts, there are power words that grab attention (you can use to trigger just about any emotion, for any conversion goal) and get your copy shared on social media.
Here are some of the most used ones:
- Now – Post
- Comment
- Because
- Take
- Submit
- Would
- When
- Where
- Tell us
- Should
- Discount
- Only
- ReTweet
- Check out
- How to
- Blog – Post
- Follow
- Social
- Help
- Top
- You
- Great
- Share
If you look at the lists above, you can see that the power words used on the two different social platforms are somewhat different. That is why, when writing up your copy, keep your audience in mind, the context of your post and what channel you are posting to.
Use FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) phrases
You can use this technique to make your audience act fast. The fear of missing out is always great at motivating people to get what you are offering before it’s too late.
Here are some common FOMO phrases:
- Limited offer
- The offer is running out
- Get them while they last
- Sale ends soon
- Hurry – Only 1 left
- Last chance to buy
- Only available here
- Today only
- Only 5 products available
You can generally use these phrases in promotional copy.
The most persuasive words in English
Yeah, you heard it right. Want to know which ones they are?
Next time someone wants to persuade you to do something, you’ll be onto them. In the meantime, you can persuade others with your amazing copy and persuasive words. Get it? It’s a two-way street.
- New
- Free
- Now
- You
- Because
- Instantly
These words really work, and they trigger your brain to desire the instant gratification.
Power words are powerful indeed, so don’t underestimate their power. Test them, use them, and let them do their magical work.
Conclusion
In conclusion, power words are a game-changer in marketing and copywriting. By choosing the right words, you can evoke emotions and influence your audience to take action.
One important thing to keep in mind is to know your audience. What motivates them? What language do they use? By answering these questions, you can find the power words that will resonate with them and help set the right tone for your copy.
It’s also crucial to use power words in the right places, such as headlines, subheadings, and calls-to-action. By doing so, you can increase engagement and conversions.
Another tip is to use FOMO phrases. Fear Of Missing Out is a powerful motivator, and incorporating phrases like “limited time offer” or “only a few left in stock” can create a sense of urgency and encourage people to take action.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of the most persuasive words in English. Words like “free,” “you,” and “instantly” have been proven to be effective in copywriting and marketing.
To illustrate, let’s take a look at two examples of power words in marketing from the real world:
Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan is a perfect example of a power phrase that motivates people to take action and embodies the brand’s spirit of determination and athleticism.
Airbnb’s “Live there” campaign uses the power of words to create a sense of belonging and adventure, inviting people to explore the world and experience new cultures.
In summary, incorporating power words into your marketing and copywriting can make a significant difference in how your audience perceives and engages with your brand. So, test them out, use them wisely, and let them work their magic!
