Even if you produce a stellar piece of content in terms of quality, length, and depth, it will not get read if it’s not a good read.
The most viral, shared, and successful content is addictively readable. It’s the type where you read half the piece without realizing it. It sucks you into its universe. It takes you somewhere.
It sounds like this type of content is sprinkled with fairy dust or touched by a unicorn.
It’s not.
At its core, it’s just readable.
There are other factors at play, but the foundation of the content rests on that one little thing.
So, how do you make your content more readable?
There are a few tricks you can use to infinitely improve your chances of getting read.
First, you have to understand what we mean by “readable.”
What Readable Content Looks Like
Readable content is not just well-written and error-free. It has some other attributes baked right in, ones that help push the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph.
1. It’s Well-Researched
Readable content leaves the reader with zero doubts or questions. It answers all of them, and it provides the sources to back it all up. This content is readable precisely because you trust the writer leading you through it.
All the way through the article, blog post, or what-have-you, that writer consistently reestablishes that trust with evidence of good research.
Content that isn’t readable makes claims but doesn’t provide evidence. It doesn’t cite sources. It’s a mish-mash of hasty assumptions, stolen ideas, and personal opinions that teach absolutely no one anything.
Which would you rather read?
2. It’s Not Stuffy
Readable content is also written in plain language. Anybody can read it, learn from it, and enjoy it.
That’s key – a big component that helps lots of content go viral.
Stuffy content, meanwhile, reads like a college textbook. It’s dry and boring. There’s no life or personality behind the words. They convey meaning, but there’s nothing there to keep pulling you in.
If you sound snobby, or like you’re trying to show off your extensive vocabulary, nobody will want to read your content. If you write like a robot, nobody will want to read your content.
For these reasons, Convince and Convert recommends keeping your content empathetic. Empathize with your readers, get on their level, and relate to them. It’s only when you place yourself above them that the stuffiness creeps in.
3. It Has a Unique Angle
The content flood is real. The internet is literally deluged with it – the good, the bad, and the laughable. It’s no wonder information fatigue is an actual condition people deal with.
As such, readable content is content that stands out from the masses of crap out there. That’s because it takes a unique, interesting angle on a topic that’s sunburned from seeing so much daylight.
Even if you’ve already read 50 articles about a topic, you’ll still want to take in a readable piece that explores it. Why? Because the angle is so interesting or novel. That’s the power of readability.
4. People Care About the Topic
The most likely reason a certain topic has received attention from hundreds of other bloggers and writers? Because people care about it.
After all, you can’t expect them to have any interest in a topic that doesn’t concern them. They won’t even be looking for it online.
That’s another key to readable content – you have to write about what people are searching for. You have to write stuff that speaks to what’s on their minds: their problems, concerns, worries, and interests. Keyword research can help you discover topics like these, but remember: You still need to approach it from that interesting or unique angle to stand out.
5. Readable Content Has the Right Tone
Content is readable when it hits a sweet spot regarding tone.
Tone is your style of speech. For example, you might speak one way to your three-year-old niece, and another way to your boss. You employ different tones to customize your speech for your audience.
In the same way, you need to hit the right tone for the audience you’re writing for.
When you get it just right – when you’re addressing the vast majority of your readers – that content hits home. It’s not just readable; it’s compulsively readable.
MailChimp has a great definition of their brand’s specific voice and tone in their Content Style Guide. It tells writers exactly how to address the brand’s main audience in their content:
What’s notable here is that MailChimp tells their writers to consider the reader’s emotional state and adjust their tone to fit. Writing for a reader experiencing a certain emotion is a great way to make content readable.
How to Make Your Content Addictively Readable
Now that you know what readable content looks like, you can craft your own content in the same vein.
If you want to make your content addictively readable, there are some extra tips that will help.
1. Don’t Use Passive Voice (Most of the Time)
Passive voice can be a death knell for any writer who overuses it. Write your entire article this way, and it will sound dull and strange. Take this great example from Paper Rater for how passive voice can convolute a perfectly fine idea:
There are, however, times when passive voice is perfectly warranted. For instance, you might want the focus of the sentence to be on the person or thing who received the action:
“I was hurt.” – It doesn’t matter who hurt me; instead, I want to emphasize my pain.
“The money was stolen.” – The money was important, not who stole it.
“George was saved by a paramedic.” – We want to know if George is okay, so we put him first.
The key is knowing when passive voice is okay and when it isn’t. To stay on the safe side, avoid it as often as you can, and check your writing for passive voice using tools like the Hemingway Editor.
2. Be Less Selfish
A great point from CoSchedule involves selfish writing: Using “I” more than “you.” If you’re guilty of this, you’re making your content far less interesting for the reader. The focus should be on them!
A great way to discover if your content is readable is to… well… read it.
Don’t just skim it for misspellings and incorrect grammar, though. Read it out loud and pay attention to how it flows.
If it reads well out loud, you’re on the right track. Don’t forget to get at least one other person to read it in case you’re biased. That can mean overconfidence as well as crippling self-doubt. (Hey, I don’t judge.)
Ask them to read it out loud, too. They could even read it to you, which will help you understand how another reader approaches it.
This is the perfect way to nail a readable flow and keep your audience engaged.
4. This Sounds Weird But… Write One-Liner Paragraphs
Did you notice a pattern in this blog by now?
Good lookin’ out.
Yes, there is quite a majority of one-sentence paragraphs.
Basically, the paragraph has evolved because of the way we read media. There is so much media—content—on the web, that we must evolve into content formats that are extremely easy to read, thus getting our reader to stay on our pages the longest.
Copyblogger and SmartBlogger are led by some of the top thought leaders in the content marketing industry. Check out how the majority of paragraphs are one-liners:
The benefits of blogging can’t be disputed. In fact, you’re probably ready to get going with a law blog right this second. After all, the sooner you begin, the sooner you can reap the rewards.
But where to begin?
If you need a little push making the first move toward content marketing success with a law blog, you’re in the right place. These tips for starting a blog with legal blog writers will show you how it’s done.
How to Position a Law Business for Success with a Blog and Legal Blog Writers
A blog can’t be successful without good writing talent behind it.
You can’t just hire any writer, either. You’re working within a niche industry. Useful, thorough, factually accurate blogs about legal topics require expert knowledge. You need writers who are up to the task.
Generally, you won’t find these types of writers at a content mill. If you do end up hiring cheap services, it’ll leave you with cheap, inaccurate filler blogs that provide no value for your audience.
Bottom line: If you want a good legal blog, one that does everything you need it to do for successful content marketing and SEO, you need higher-level writers who know their way around legal topics.
You gotta hire and invest in expert legal blog writers.
For inspiration, here’s what a great law blog looks like:
For proof, look at how many comments a recent post got:
2. Don’t Give Legal Advice
Lawyers and law firms need to tread carefully when posting online and blogging. There are ethical lines you should not cross to avoid misleading readers.
The American Bar Association has outlined general guidelines to follow when posting online. One biggie is to know the distinction between offering legal information and giving legal advice.
Legal advice is specific and relates to the information and circumstances of an individual case. Legal information, on the other hand, is general, hypothetical, and can be applied to lots of different cases. To avoid ethical tangles, you should stick to the latter in your blog posts.
Here’s where hiring an expert legal blog writer can save you – they’ll know this distinction inside-out and can make clear statements in posts about it. They’ll let the reader know the information is general and not intended as legal advice.
3. Keep the Language General and the Tone Approachable
It could be easy to forget who you’re writing for and include legal-speak in your blog posts.
This is a big no-no. For one, your audience is probably much more general than you think. You’ll mainly be talking to people who have been searching the web for basic information and explanations about legal topics. These people won’t have any legal training.
This means you need to keep your language general. Don’t include legal jargon (unless you’re willing to define it in plain terms), and explain basic concepts in a down-to-earth way. Otherwise, you may turn visitors away.
4. Focus on Quality and Usefulness
It can be hard to come up with a steady stream of blog topics, but there are always two keys to keep in mind for subject matter. Focus on providing quality and usefulness to your readers.
What does quality look like?
Clear, easy-to-read text with good grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Ideas are broken up into short paragraphs for maximum readability.
The blog is organized with headers and subheaders.
One idea flows logically into the next, and the next, and so on.
What does usefulness look like?
The topic is one that would interest your target audience.
The blog features enlightening or practical information – it speaks to your readers’ lives, concerns, or pain points.
The blog is written in a relatable, understandable, clear tone.
It’s factually accurate.
The blog is timely, or better yet, timeless (it will still be good information a week from now, a month from now, or six months to a year from now).
Quality and usefulness are two universal aspects that should apply to every single blog you write, no matter the topic.
If you phone it in, your readers will know, and they’ll stop caring.
5. Write to Your Target Audience
With a blog, you can’t write to the entire world at large.
First of all, that’s impossible. Second of all, if you tried to do that, you would end up with something way, way too general to be useful.
You need to have an audience in mind when you write in order for your content to be effective and serve its purpose.
What’s that purpose? Helping people find answers you can provide.
You can’t help everyone, though. You can, however, help the people your professional law services target. Plus, this kind of targeting helps your business and your blog tie together seamlessly.
If you haven’t found your target audience yet, you need to get going on market research. Only then will you understand who to address in your blog posts.
You may be tempted to write about any law topic under the sun for your blog, but you really shouldn’t. Instead, focus on your expertise.
In other words, stay in your lane. This will help you build a unique blog that is incredibly useful.
Go too general, and you might not bring in the audience you’re looking for. Stick to that sweet spot where you can write about useful topics and employ your personal expertise and practice area. This combination will help you hit each blog out of the park.
For example, this blog successfully focuses on a niche legal topic/practice area – contract drafting:
Staying in your lane also includes writing about your specific geographic region. Focusing on law topics for your state or city will help you attract local readers who could become clients.
Take a look at this blog from a Nebraska law firm. They have targeted a specific county in this post to draw in readers from that region:
7. Use Your Voice
Over 2 million blogs get published on a daily basis. There are hordes upon hordes of voices clamoring for attention online.
To stand out, you have to use your voice. You have to position yourself as an individual. After all, there’s only one of you. Use that to your advantage!
General tips for finding and using your voice:
No matter what you’re writing about, pretend you’re talking to one person.
Imagine this person as an individual from your target audience (look at your brand personas and choose one to write for).
Write to them on a one-to-one level, like you would if you were addressing them face-to-face.
Really think about how that conversation might go. It would be professional, of course, but you might throw in a joke or two to lighten the mood. You might have a warmth and sincerity that comes out naturally. Or, you may prefer to get down to business and waste zero time.
Whatever your personality and conversational style, let it leak into your writing. Use your voice and stand out from the masses of other law blogs out there.
If your blogs sound like you’re selling your legal services, you’re doing it wrong. To put it bluntly, you’re making yourself look like an ambulance chaser.
Selling should be the very last thing you think about when you’re blogging (the call-to-action at the end of a blog post is the only exception).
9. Don’t Rehash Easy-to-Find News or Information
Planning to write a blog about a big law that just passed, or a high-profile case that’s in the news? Just say no to rehashing information that’s already out there and nothing more.
If your readers can easily google the topic and find a better-written news story about it, there’s no reason for you to rehash it. Instead, summarize the details briefly, then provide your take on the issue at hand.
For instance, approach it from your perspective as an expert in a specific type of law. Give your readers a professional’s opinion on the matter.
This tip goes along with #7, above. Don’t contribute to the wasteland of duplicate, useless content that’s already out there. Be unique, have an opinion, and avoid rehashing.
10. Change Up Your Posts
To help your blog stay fresh, change up the type of stuff you post. Don’t feel nailed to one style or format – think outside the box.
Here are some quick ideas:
Go slightly off-topic. As long as your blog has a general focus that you stick to regularly, you can feel free to go slightly off-topic every once in a while. This can shake things up and even draw in new readers.
Share a personal story. A personal story can help your blog and your brand seem relatable, friendly, and approachable – all great for business. The story can relate to your profession or not. If it’s entirely personal, this helps reinforce the idea that a human is behind the screen.
Invite discussion. Sometimes it’s fun to sit back and let your audience take the reins. Introduce a hot-button issue or topic that’s deeply relevant to your readers, then hand it over to them in the comments and see what happens. Make sure you participate and add your two cents!
Do an interview. Do you have a wise mentor who guided you to where you are today? Have them drop some of this wisdom on your blog. Can a colleague provide some timely information? Or maybe there’s a law blogger you respect who you’d love to feature. Present any of these people in an interview format to shake things up.
A Law Blog + Legal Blog Writers = A Smart Business Move
Content marketing is proven. Blogging is proven. These facts are undisputed.
If you haven’t started blogging yet for your law business, what are you waiting for? People are out there on the internet, looking for expertise on legal topics that’s both solid and trustworthy. They have questions that need answering.
You are uniquely positioned to provide those answers. It’s a golden opportunity to build your reputation in your field and draw in new clients. All you need is a blog and legal blog writers to make it happen.
Ready to begin, but lack the time or expertise to start writing?
Or, let’s put the distinction this way: There are cheap writers, and there are pro writers.
What’s the difference?
Cheap writers are cheap. That’s all they bring to the table.
Professional blog writers have experience, talent, skill, and style. There’s more, though.
Writing is a field of expertise, just like any other industry, and these people know it inside-out. They read widely and absorb different writing techniques. They know how to conduct thorough research. They understand the basics of constructing a solid article, whether short or long. They’re creative and dedicated to their craft.
Should I keep going?
Proficient pro writers need to have all of these skills, plus more. (Via Learn How to Become)
And yet, despite the obvious benefits of hiring a professional writer for their content marketing, lots of brands and businesses still aren’t doing it. Instead, they think they can cut corners. Something’s gotta give somewhere, and, a lot of the time, that something is the writing.
You may be guilty of this, too.
If you are, I’m here to set you straight.
You have to understand exactly why professional writers are worth it. You need to know what cheap content mills are doing to your content marketing. You need to understand the value of good, professional writing.
Why Professional Blog Writers Are Worth Every Last Cent of Investment
Even more explain the basic elements that make up good content. You’re supposed to learn these and then apply them to your content marketing and copywriting.
Articles like these are all over the ‘net. They try to give you a lesson in skills which pro writers already have. (Via Quick Sprout)
Guess what? Professional writers have an entire arsenal of writing “secrets.” You’ll never learn them all, or understand them in the same way, because writing isn’t your bread-and-butter.
You haven’t been reading and writing for years upon years – for fun. You probably didn’t major in English, journalism, or communications in college. You most likely never attempted to write a hefty fantasy or detective novel when you were 12. (Seriously, ask any pro writer – they’ll tell you all about their ridiculous first novel, short story collection, etc., that they wrote when they were young and foolish.)
Of course, not every writer has professional training or education. However, every single pro writer has passion and experience.
Let’s get more basic. If you’re a marketer, marketing is what you do. If you’re a business owner, running your company is what you do, and all that it entails. If you’re a pro writer, writing is what you do.
If these still aren’t good enough arguments for you, here’s more about what good writers can do for your content marketing. These key factors set them apart.
1. Professional Blog Writers Treat Your Content with Care
Cheap writers are not concerned about quality – they only care about quantity. That’s because they sell their services for the cheapest price possible, then get as much volume as they can to make up the difference.
As such, the work they do has no craft behind it. They are focused on getting the words out as fast as possible to make a dime.
Pro writers, on the other hand, are concerned with quality and quantity in balance. They’re trying to make money, too, but they’re also worried about producing good work.
Because this balance is number one, that means…
2. They Spend the Necessary Time Getting the Writing Right
Any pro writer will tell you straight out: Good writing takes time.
You cannot dash out a page of text in 10 minutes and expect it to be worth anything, let alone readable.
Writing for content marketing requires even more diligence. It needs to mirror the brand’s voice, use the right keywords in the right places, address the target audience effectively, and be readable and useful.
If it’s really good, the content will also pull the reader into the text. It will encourage them to keep reading aaaaall the way down to the end of the page.
Interlude: Case Study Time
You want a good idea of what focusing on quantity over quality looks like (versus a focus on balancing quantity + quality)?
Let’s take a gander at the difference using a fantastic example from this real-life case study by Startup Grind.
They readily admit that they fell for the lure of cheap content. As such, they hired five writers offering ridiculously inexpensive rates to do a paid test assignment. What they got back made them balk, to say the least.
Here’s one example from the test. This piece was titled “Quantity Is the King in B2B Lead Generation”. (The phrasing of this headline alone is worth a long pause of concern. What follows is not all that surprising.)
If you can read this without wanting to bash your head against a wall, I sincerely applaud your effort.
What’s wrong with it? Everything, for starters.
It’s not engaging – it’s repetitive and wordy. The overuse of determiners also makes me suspect the writer’s first language isn’t English.
This is supposed to draw in leads? I don’t think so.
Naturally, Startup Grind abandoned this approach and tried a different tack. They did the research, came up with the blog title, and provided points to cover. They hired two test writers from cheap agencies who could fill in the blanks. Easy-peasy.
Well, actually…
Neither writer could deliver. One handed in an article that had nothing to do with the outline. (After two more revisions, the resulting article was still incoherent and messy.) The other writer included points from the outline but loaded it with filler and meaningless sentences in the gaps.
Yep, it turns out the old saying is true. You get what you pay for.
To drive this point home, let’s compare the example of cheap writing, above, to this introduction from a pro-written blog:
Can you compare them? They’re not just in different leagues… they’re in different universes.
Part of the reason they’re so different is not just about the overall quality, it’s also about the attention to detail.
This leads us to the next differentiator for pro writers…
3. Pros Love Good Grammar and Are Shameless Punctuation Nerds
Details. Good writers delight in details.
In fact, though it may be counterproductive, a writer can spend quite a bit of time perfecting even one sentence. They may agonize over the placement of a comma or whether an em-dash is necessary.
This is because they know the details are everything. Paying attention to them is how the writing reaches its height.
The details include grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation.
If you want to know the truth, writers are punctuation nerds at heart. A well-constructed sentence sets our hearts aflutter (go ahead, judge us all you want).
4. Professional Blog Writers Are Often Subject Specialists
Good, thorough research must be an essential part of content creation for lots of niche industries.
Your content needs facts and stats to back up claims. The writer also needs underlying basic knowledge about key concepts within that industry.
Will a cheap writer from a content mill have that expertise? Will they be able to write about your specialization or niche industry with authority and confidence? Can they teach your readers and provide value?
No, no, and no.
In fact, if you go with a cheap writer for your specialized blog topics, you’re playing with fire.
Why?
Because you risk confusing, misleading, or turning off your readers altogether. Goodbye, leads.
This is the precise reason why so many professional writers are subject specialists in multiple areas. It lets them swoop in and write with clout, gravitas, and confidence for lots of different industries.
If you’re in an industry that requires specialized knowledge, like SaaS, stocks and trading, contract law, or advanced B2B marketing, you need a writer with a corresponding specialization. Neil Patel even lists specialization as one of the key essential skills for content marketing copywriters.
Pro writers will have it. Cheap writers will not.
5. They Can Switch Between Tones and Styles
Another key factor that sets professional blog writers apart is they’re adaptable. Their writing skills can morph to fit the content need.
Part of the reason they can do this is they have immersed themselves in different styles of writing. This means they read. A lot. And, as any writer knows, reading is one of the best forms of training.
They are constantly reading, constantly writing, and continually work toward improving their game.
They can write in third-person, with an objective tone, for a blog in the medical industry. The next day, they can easily switch to writing in first-person for a beauty brand that requires a lighthearted, fun approach.
Pro writers are masters of flexibility. Can a cheap writer do that?
6. They’re Passionate about Writing
Here’s the main distinction between pro blog writers and content factory grunt writers: passion.
Professional writers become professionals because of their dedication to their craft. They have a passion to produce great work, get results for clients, and keep getting better.
After all, the writing profession is no joke. Like most creative career paths, it’s hard out there. Only the most dedicated scribes become true pros and make their living this way.
For writers offering cut-throat rates, the clients they take are no more than dollars and cents. They want to get hired, crank out some mediocre words, get paid, and move on to the next. There is no passion or craft involved here.
These people probably won’t be working as writers-for-hire for very long. They’re just trying to make a quick buck.
If You Need High-Quality Content, You Need High-Quality Professional Blog Writers
Good writing is essential for successful content marketing.
If you want content that’s engaging and grows your readership, you need a pro writer.
If your content needs to address specialized topics in your niche industry, you need a pro writer.
If you want your content marketing to succeed beyond your expectations, you need a pro writer.
If you want to grow your authority and your brand voice, you need a pro writer.
Still don’t think you need a professional writer? Consider this: Lots of marketers have expressed concern that we’re well on our way to reaching what they call “content shock.” It means that we will eventually produce so much mediocre, half-a** content, audiences won’t be able to keep up.
Not that they won’t want to – they just won’t be able to. There simply won’t be enough hours in the day. This means brands will be fighting over readership and paying people to look at their content. At least, this is the bleak future according to Mark Schaefer.
Here’s the thing. This is the future of crappy content. And who writes crappy content? Cheap, crappy writers!
Copyblogger sums this up nicely: “There is no glut of quality content.”
“…there is not a glut of content that is useful, passionate, individual, and interesting.”
Useful, passionate, individual, and interesting.
This is exactly what professional blog writers bring to the table. If you want to set yourself apart, if you want to improve your content marketing, if you want to differentiate yourself – you have to have the right talent backing you up.
You’re not a writer. You can’t do it alone. And that’s okay.
If you’re ready to hire a pro blog writer, we’re here, ready to step in and level-up your word game.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Catch the fifth episode of The Content Marketer’s Café with @JuliaEMcCoy, a SURPRISE announcement about her new book!” quote=”Catch the fifth episode of The Content Marketer’s Café with @JuliaEMcCoy, a SURPRISE announcement!”]
The Content Marketer’s Café with Julia McCoy, Episode 5: Surprise Announcement! New Book, Practical Content Strategy & Marketing Coming Out
SURPRISE, SURPRISE!
I have a new book coming out!!
Get on the list to know when Julia McCoy’s latest book, Practical Content Strategy & Marketing, is coming out! (Expected publish date November 30, available on Amazon, B&N, and iBooks.)
What is Practical Content Strategy & Marketing All About?
Practical Content Strategy & Marketing is a 350+ page accompaniment to my online course. That’s why the subtitle for the book is The Content Strategy Certification Course Student Guidebook.
I took the written video scripts of each of my course lessons, the original illustrations, concepts, guest expert video notes, and all the exercises, and compiled them into a giant, massive, industry-leading book! My editors and I have been refining the contents for the last two weeks across October.
The book is a side effect of the massive industry education I created in the Practical Content Strategy Certification Course, which took me 7 months and about 500 hours to date to create. In the book, you’ll find easy-to-understand illustrations, concepts, and examples.
I’m also really excited because Mark Schaefer, one of the top five business bloggers in the world, has said yes to writing my foreword!
When does it come out??
Tentative date, provided our formatting timeline goes smoothly, is November 30 on Amazon (paperback and Kindle) and within the next weeks it’ll be available on B&N and iBooks.
What do I know about writing a book?
I published my first book, So You Think You Can Write, in April of 2016, after working full-time in content marketing running my own agency, serving over 5,000 clients, for five years.
With zero paid marketing, it sold thousands of copies around the world in the last year–and it made category bestseller within 24 hours of going live.
My new book is almost double the size, and it’ll be a slightly larger physical size, 7×10 – my last book was 6×9. It will sell for between $18-$20 (paperback).
Special Offer: FREE signed copy for each and every All-Access course student!
All students that enroll in my course BEFORE November 30 will get a signed, mailed copy of the book for free! Just email me with the email you used to sign up for and buy the course. It must be the all-access pass, and before November 30! Go to the all-access certification course enrollment page.
Where can I go to get first dibs on launch day + bonuses?
The Content Marketer’s Café with Julia McCoy is on pause till the book publishes!
Thanks for watching!
Unfortunately, due to book deadlines, The Content Marketer’s Café with Julia McCoy is on pause till after the book comes out.
But, catch me in my Facebook group, or right here on the Write Blog, till then!
We are (still) one of the only writing agencies in the industry that transparently discloses our rates and full pricing on one page.
No hidden fees along the way for extras (editing, timelines, etc.). What you see is what you get.
But when you go to put your pricing page together, it can be tricky.
Imagine this…
You’re creating your pricing page.
You’ve got your price structure perfectly set up, and your page features tons of great information on why customers should jump on board.
Finally, it’s time to go live and start converting some visitors!
But then, crickets… Nobody’s converting.
You’ve done everything the experts told you to do. You listed plenty of plan options. You highlighted your ‘most popular plan.’ You’ve got a FAQ section. You offered a free trial. Heck, you even put “money back guarantee” in big, bold letters at the top of the screen.
So, what the heck is the problem? Why aren’t people converting?
Grab a latte, coffee, or a tea and join me in today’s blog – all about how to create your high-converting pricing page!
Why Isn’t My Pricing Page Converting?
In her article about pricing page best practices, conversion expert Talia Wolf gives the perfect reasons why it’s not converting.
As she mentions, your pricing page isn’t converting:
Because you’re focusing on your product or service and not the outcome and bottom line for the customer
Because you’re giving too many warnings to customers before they’ve even chosen a plan (i.e. ‘no questions asked!’ – ‘money back guarantee!’ – ‘no obligation!’)
You see, when it comes to conversions, it’s all about helping the customer understand the positive outcome that they’re going to receive from purchasing your product or service.
Anything that doesn’t do that is a distraction. And those distractions are preventing conversions.
Takeaway: If you want to create a high converting pricing page, focus on communicating the outcome the customer is receiving and not on the actual action of signing up.
The Elements of a High Converting Pricing Page: 3 of the Biggest Success Factors
According to copywriting legend Eugene Schwartz, customers are always in one of five stages of awareness. They include:
Now, when someone makes their way to your pricing page, they’re almost always going to be in either the solution aware, product aware, or most aware stage.
So they don’t need to hear loads of information about features, how cheap your services are, and everything else that distracts from the outcome they’re seeking.
A large percentage of pricing page visitors have already or are close to making a decision.
The job of your pricing page, then, is to get them to take action and finalize that decision.
That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.
But how exactly do you do it? Well, including the following elements will certainly help.
1. Keep It Simple
An uncluttered, simple design helps ensure that the focus remains on the customer and the outcome they will receive.
Pricing pages with loads of copy, buttons, and colors do nothing but distract customers.
Take a look at this example of an old pricing page from Dyn:
I’m not even sure what’s going on here?
There’s just far too much going on here.
And any customer is going to have a tough time figuring out which plan, if any, they should be choosing.
Thankfully, the good people at Dyn realized their mistake and fixed it.
Here’s a look at the much simpler pricing page that they use today:
While their copy could definitely be more customer outcome focused, this is MUCH better than their previous page.
Takeaway: Simplicity wins when it comes to pricing pages. Don’t overwhelm visitors with choices and copy. Keep it simple and focused on the outcome for the customer.
2. Help Visitors Choose the Right Plan
If you’re like most companies, your pricing page features at least three plans.
And while that’s fine, far too many pricing pages struggle to help visitors actually choose the plan that is right for them.
Since you’re trying to get visitors to convert right away, that’s a problem.
Take a look at this example from eVoice:
As you can see, the plans have no names and provide zero guidance as to which one I should choose if I’m just getting started with this service.
And, if I’m a small business, I still have a ton of questions about each plan that need to be answered before I decide to move forward.
That puts me in a position where I either have to research more about each plan, contact support, or simply move on to another company that provides the same service.
Now, take a look at this example from Viddler:
If I’m a small business owner, I immediately know that the Business plan is the best fit.
And while I’ll probably do more research before making a final decision, I’m already aware that I don’t even need to worry about the Pro or Enterprise plans.
“Whether you’re pricing something as simple as a pencil or as complicated as a cloud storage platform, all pricing roads begin with the almighty buyer persona.”
The biggest problem with most pricing pages isn’t the page itself, but the plans that are featured on it.
Most companies create plans based on what they think their customers want.
Instead, your plans should be based on what you know your customers want, using your buyer personas as guidelines.
Salesforce is a company that nails this concept:
Take a look at the differences between each plan.
They understand that different target customers need different benefits. And they make sure to cater the features of their plans to the needs of each buyer persona.
In the end, they’re helping visitors choose the right plan for them.
If you need some assistance with creating your buyer personas, this guide on How to Develop a Target Persona is a great resource.
Takeaway: Help visitors identify the plan that is right for them as soon as possible to expedite a conversion.
And since your pricing page serves as your digital sales rep, overcoming purchasing anxieties should be a top priority.
Including a FAQ section on the bottom of your pricing page is a great way to do this, although there are a few things that you’ll want to keep in mind while creating it.
Focus on Relevancy. Make sure you’re only including questions that are relevant to the plans being offered.
Stay Positive.Even if you’re answering a question about a shortcoming with your product/service, do your best to stay positive in your answer.
Show Your Brand’s Personality. The way you answer the questions in your FAQ section goes a long way in determining how a visitor perceives your brand.
HubSpot is a company that does a great job of all three of these things with their FAQ section:
4 Examples of High Converting Pricing Pages
Let’s take a look at four companies that set the standard for high converting pricing pages.
1. MailChimp
MailChimp’s pricing page is simple, customer outcome focused, and lets visitors know immediately which plan is the best fit.
And, once customers determine the right fit, they’re able to click ‘Learn More’ to go to another pricing page that’s designed with their specific buyer persona in mind.
2. Squarespace
Squarespace makes things as simple as possible, as they feature only two plans.
In addition to the simplicity and easy navigation of the page, the FAQ section does a great job overcoming purchase anxieties.
3. Freshdesk
Freshdesk uses a similar approach to MailChimp, as they help users immediately identify the best fit and give them the ability to find out more about the specific plan.
4. Wistia
Wistia’s pricing page does a great job helping visitors choose the right plan while keeping things simple.
They also feature a FAQ section at the bottom of the page that helps users understand more about how their plans work.
Don’t Forget to Test, Test, and Test Some More!
While the information and examples above can serve as a solid guideline for creating your pricing page, testing is necessary to maximize its effectiveness.
“…you should be testing your own pricing page like crazy! Don’t just copy what other companies are doing. You need to be collecting your own data and testing your own pricing page.”
Here’s a few more ideas for what you can test.
Test pricing for your higher and lower end plans
Test the order and location of your highest profit plan
Test the number of plans you’re offering
Test colors, CTAs, and font size
Test different trust elements (quotes from testimonials, videos, etc.)
You know that your pricing page is one of the most important pages on your website.
If you want it to reach its conversion potential, you HAVE to test.
There’s just no way around it.
Create your pricing page using the elements and examples outlined above. Test. Test some more.
That’s the formula for a high converting pricing page.
If you’d like some help building strong copy and CTAs for your pricing page, EW has you covered. Book a call with our Content Strategist so we can learn more about your project!
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