Copywriting is the art and science of using words to persuade the reader to take a specific action. For you, that often means persuading people to register for your conference.
The right copy can make a significant impact on your bottom line. As it turns out, copywriting isn’t just about words — it’s about numbers, too. 8 out of 10 people will read the headline on your conference website. But only two of them will proceed to read about your agenda, speakers, and more.
If you want a big competitive advantage over other conferences who don’t choose their words as wisely, start with these three tips:
1. Conveying benefits, not event “features”
Conveying benefits to your conference attendees is the single best way to keep them nodding along with you on their journey to a sale. Why? Because generally, people don’t buy products — they buy what the product will help them do.
The same goes for your conference; don’t just tell people about the great “features” of your event (such as your list of speakers, your amazing venue, or the menu for lunch). Instead, tell them how they’ll benefit from attending.
Let’s say, for example, your agenda is packed with 20 high-profile speakers. Telling conference-goers “We’ve got 20 speakers lined up for our conference” isn’t going to drive registrations.
“Get industry insights from 20 industry leaders,” on the other hand, demonstrates why attendees should care about the speaker lineup. But the most powerful benefit to convey is an emotional benefit. People buy on emotion — then rationalize their purchase decision later.
A more emotional-driven phrase would look something like this: “Set your strategy with confidence, using exclusive insights from 20 seasoned industry leaders.” This speaks directly to the attendee and gives them a compelling, emotional reason to consider registering.
2. Help search engines find your event
When it comes to copywriting for SEO (search engine optimization), it all starts with a keyword. Keywords the words someone types into the search box on Google, Bing, and other search engines when they’re looking for something.
Your primary goal is to make sure people can find your specific conference if they were to start where most people do — Google. So if you’re hosting a real estate conference in San Francisco in June called the “Northern California Annual Realtors Association Conference,” your first goal is to show up in search results when people search that exact event name.
Your secondary goal is to capture demand when people are searching topics related to your event. So beyond your conference name, you might consider topic-level keywords like “real estate conference in San Francisco” or “real estate conference in June.” Keep in mind, however, that ranking for topics can prove challenging, depending on how competitive your event category is.
It’s important to understand that SEO is a long-term investment. That means there are no quick solutions and it can take weeks or months before you’ll notice results.
3. Craft an email subject line worth opening
Subject lines play a crucial role in whether or not your email gets opened.
According to MailChimp, the best email subject lines are 50 characters or less, so you’ll have to be selective in your word choice. You want to let your recipient know what to expect when they click. Are you sending a “Save the Date” for your developer’s conference? Your subject line could simply read: “Save the Date for Chicago DevCon on 10/20.”
In general, you want to be descriptive and provide the reader with a reason to open your message.
You can learn more strategies about subject lines, writing effective social media copy, and more in The Ultimate Copywriting Guide for Events.
