TheVigilante
Banned - Multiple Rules Violations
- Aug 31, 2010
- 14,993
- 16,105
There’s plenty of copywriting theory on the internet. But, how much of that copywriting posturing can you say comes from a $1.6T company?
Alex Garcia wrote a great https://twitter.com/alexgarcia_atx/status/1381066483330117632 with seven tips from Amazon to “write like an Amazonian”. Here they are:
Use fewer than 30 words per sentence.
1. Use fewer than 30 words per sentence. This is good advice. And Scott Adams chimed in with a great reply, saying “Shoot for five. Ten is a lot. Twenty is bad writing.”
2. Replace adjectives with data. People gravitate to real numbers, not self-indulgent adjectives.
3. Eliminate weasel words. Be specific in your writing. This is similar to the advice about adjectives. When you can, write exactly what you mean.
4. Use the “so what” test. Once you’ve written something, read it and ask yourself if it would make sense from a reader’s perspective. The Crew’s tip: Take a 30-minute break after writing before doing this. You’ll come back with a fresh view.
5. Be objective. You’re probably seeing a common thread here: Be specific. Like how you shouldn’t use vague adjectives, you shouldn’t (normally) be subjective in your copywriting. Use real facts.
6. Avoid jargon and acronyms. Ever come across an agency site that says something like ‘We revolutionize the way groundbreaking brands revitalize their marketing’? Yeah – don’t do that.
7. Use subject-verb-object sentences. The grammar nerds out there will be happy about this rule! (That grammar nerds sentence was a S-V-O sentence, for context.)
Alex added plenty of context and examples in his full Twitter thread.
The bottom line: When a company like Amazon talks copywriting, we listen. These seven tips apply to most types of copywriting. In other words, this is a great checklist to go through as you’re writing.
Alex Garcia wrote a great https://twitter.com/alexgarcia_atx/status/1381066483330117632 with seven tips from Amazon to “write like an Amazonian”. Here they are:
Use fewer than 30 words per sentence.
1. Use fewer than 30 words per sentence. This is good advice. And Scott Adams chimed in with a great reply, saying “Shoot for five. Ten is a lot. Twenty is bad writing.”
2. Replace adjectives with data. People gravitate to real numbers, not self-indulgent adjectives.
3. Eliminate weasel words. Be specific in your writing. This is similar to the advice about adjectives. When you can, write exactly what you mean.
4. Use the “so what” test. Once you’ve written something, read it and ask yourself if it would make sense from a reader’s perspective. The Crew’s tip: Take a 30-minute break after writing before doing this. You’ll come back with a fresh view.
5. Be objective. You’re probably seeing a common thread here: Be specific. Like how you shouldn’t use vague adjectives, you shouldn’t (normally) be subjective in your copywriting. Use real facts.
6. Avoid jargon and acronyms. Ever come across an agency site that says something like ‘We revolutionize the way groundbreaking brands revitalize their marketing’? Yeah – don’t do that.
7. Use subject-verb-object sentences. The grammar nerds out there will be happy about this rule! (That grammar nerds sentence was a S-V-O sentence, for context.)
Alex added plenty of context and examples in his full Twitter thread.
The bottom line: When a company like Amazon talks copywriting, we listen. These seven tips apply to most types of copywriting. In other words, this is a great checklist to go through as you’re writing.
