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How to Write Copy That Focuses on User Needs

In today’s world of social media, people can’t stop talking about themselves. That’s fine if you’re socializing to family and friends, but not if you’re selling a product. Talking about yourself too much can give potential users the impression that you care more about your needs than theirs.

If you want to gain more users and sell more products, you should write copy that focus on the user’s needs, not yourself. When users visit your site, they’re looking for a solution to their problem. They want to hear how your product can help make their lives better, not about how great your company is.

User Benefits Over Product Features

Your copywriting should talk less about your product’s features, and more about what users can do with your product. Users want to know the unique benefits they’ll get by using your product.

Don’t get bogged down in detail with technical specifications. Copywriting that focuses on user benefits over product features are the ones that compel users to buy. Here’s an example of the difference between features and benefits.

Speak the Language of “You” not “We”

Words like “we”, “our” and the name of your company should rarely show up in your copy. Instead, speak the language of “you” and “your” so that users know that they’re your first priority.

we-words

Put the focus on the user because they’re the ones who decide how much value your product has, not you. Users will vote with their signups and money. If you’re not speaking the user’s language, you won’t get many votes.

you-words

Calculate Your Customer Focus Ratio

You need to know how well your website focuses on potential customers. You can calculate your customer focus ratio by using the Customer Focus Calculator.

It analyzes the copy on your site and weighs the number of customer focused words, such as “you” and “your” against self-focused words, such as “I”, “we”, “our”, “us” and your company name. If you have a low customer focus ratio, you should consider rewriting your website copy so that it focuses more on user benefits.

User-focused copywriting is important when it comes to reaching users and selling products. If you focus too much on yourself, users won’t see the value you offer and leave your site. But if you focus on how your product benefits them, you’ll give them something more to rave about on social media than themselves.


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This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Angel Grablev Reply

    I won’t talk about the merits of this article or take any bias towards it.

    That said and out of the way, our conversion rate is over 25%, comparing that to pretty much any other web application I have worked for or any that has published that information publicly we are doing quite alright.

    • Aymeric Reply

      What would be interesting is to change the current copy of freedcamp to focus on YOU rather than WE and see the impact on conversions.

      Maybe Freedcamp converts well simply because there is a huge need for it regardless of the YOU and WE?

    • pedant Reply

      No apostrophe in ‘to-do’s’

  2. Craig Reply

    This was a great post. I have actually never even considered this point of view on copy. You’ve convinced me to literally re-write all the copy on my sites. Thanks!

  3. Deane Reply

    Well another important facet is the type of product you have and the context in which a user would look at a product. I think freecamp does a pretty good job on the website. It’s a common service — project management — i already know the benefits of it and probably looked at countless other apps for PM. Features is what I’m looking at in this context. time tracking – great, to do’s – nice, file sharing – good. Free? I’m sold.

    In fact I’m going to give this app a try right now.

    I think the article’s point is very valid, just perhaps not the best example.

  4. Janelle Reply

    Thanks for this piece. There is many take aways which we me and my business partner are going to go through which you outlined.

    We definitely need to focus more on benefits to the customer which is something we have been lacking.

  5. Neeya Reply

    what the differences between talking at the customer and talking with the customer?

  6. Supun Reply

    Yep I agree with you! We must talk about customers’ needs not about ourselves,

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