In the world of marketing and advertising, print is often considered a dying medium— but that doesn’t mean the need for strong writing skills is dying with it. In fact, with the web being used by more people than ever before, the ability to produce high quality writing is one of today’s most sought after skills. Unfortunately, for a lot of people it can be a struggle to come up with consistent, creative content.

Luckily, the web is filled with endless advice about creating amazing content. Of that advice, I’ve found that copywriting formulas are one of the most useful online resources for writers. Whether it’s for a blog, website, advertisement, social media, or something else, copywriting formulas are there to help ease you into the sometimes tedious writing process.

For those who don’t know, a copywriting formula is exactly what it sounds like: a step-by-step formula on writing engaging content for your audience. In this article, we’ll take a look at some examples of copywriting formulas for 3 different kinds of content.

Formulas for Headlines

When writing for an audience, a first impression is everything. Thankfully, headlines are here to help draw readers in and make a lasting impression.

Choosing the right headline for your piece can be a somewhat difficult task. It’s important to introduce your topic in a clear, concise way, while also captivating your audience enough to convince them to read. And though some people have a natural talent for creating great headlines, to others this can feel like an impossible task.

If you’re looking for a little extra help in the headline department, copywriting formulas are the way to go. Here are some of my favorite formulas for writing strong headlines.¹

1. How to __________ Like __________

Example: How to Write Like A Journalist

2. How to Use __________ to __________

Example: How to Use Copywriting Formulas to Write Headlines

*These first two may seem overly simple, but can be extremely effective with a strong topic.

3. How to __________ in [number] Easy Steps

Example: How to Write A Strong Headline in 3 Easy Steps

4. The Ultimate Guide to __________

Example: The Ultimate Guide to Copywriting

5. [Number] Common Mistakes [your audience] Make

Example: 5 Common Mistakes Copywriters Make

6. [Adjective] & [Adjective] [What you are/SEO keyword phrase] That Will [End result]

Example: Creative and Technical Writing Techniques That Will Improve Your Site

Formulas for Web Page Copy

Arguably the most important, copywriting formulas for web pages can be a big part of a business’s success. Making sure your site has the best content possible will push your audience to respond well to your business as a whole.

Think about it… How often do you purchase a product or service from a site that has unorganized, unreadable copy? The painful truth is that consumers don’t generally trust websites that appear unprofessional in any way.

Fortunately, copywriting formulas can help you produce strong, professional copy that also improves SEO and generates more traffic to your site. With that being said, here are a few of my favorite formulas for writing strong web page copy.²

Attention, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA)

1. Grab the audience’s attention.

2. Appeal to the audience with something interesting.

3. Appeal to the audience’s emotions or wants.

4. Ask the audience to take action.

Problem, Agitation, Solution (PAS)

1. Present the problem at hand.

2. Poke at the problem to evoke emotion in your audience.

3. Present your solution to the problem.

Problem, Advantages, Proof, Action (PAPA)

1. Present the problem at hand. 

2. Give advantages of solving the problem.

3. Provide proof that it can be solved.

4. Ask the audience to take action.

Formulas for Blog Post Copy

These days, it’s not enough for businesses to simply have a website. Consumers today want sites to also be actively entertaining or informative. Because of this, many businesses have recently taken to blogging— a somewhat previously ignored trend.

Because the content is often similarly written, many copywriting formulas for web pages can also be used for blog posts (and vice versa). However, for no particular reason, I tend to rely on the following two formulas for creating blog content specifically.¹

The 6+1 Formula

1. Establish context by answering the question “who are you and why are you talking to me?”

2. Grab your audience’s attention.

3. Make your audience want something.

4. Explain the consequences of not taking action. Do this by answering the question “what if nothing changed?”

5. Once you’ve established the gap, quickly offer your solution.

6. End with a call-to-action.

Mock Blog Example:

“As a professional copywriter, I’ve learned some great techniques for writing good content. And guess what! With the help of copywriting formulas, you can too! Without these formulas, your site’s content could be turning customers away without you even knowing it. Luckily, it’s not to late to improve your website with the use of these helpful formulas. Learn more about how you can improve your copy by downloading our free PDF today. When you’re done, don’t forget to share it with your friends so they can improve their site’s copy too!”

Qualify, Understand, Educate, Sell, Transition (QUEST)

1. Qualify the reader by preparing them for what they’re about to read.

2. Show your audience that you understand them.

3. Educate your audience about your solution to their problem.

4. Sell your solution.

5. Transition your audience from prospects to customers/followers.

Mock Blog Example:

“In this blog post, I’ll show you how to write strong copy. Writing strong copy can be extremely difficult. However, copywriting formulas can help make the lengthy process quick and easy. Here are some examples of popular blogs that use copywriting formulas… Sign up to receive BoydTech Design’s monthly newsletter for more tools, tricks, and tips on writing great content.”

But wait there’s more. If you thought copywriting formulas only come in handy for the 3 types of content mentioned in this article, think again. There are countless reasons for using dozens of different formulas, including social media, advertisements, emails, and much more.

For more information on copywriting formulas, or for help writing strong copy for your site, contact BoydTech Design today!

¹“114+ Copywriting Formulas to Get Traffic & Leads”
²“The Ultimate Guide to No-Pain Copywriting”

Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more blog posts just like this one. As always, thanks for reading and happy marketing!

—Amanda Myers, Copywriter at BoydTech Design, Inc.