As a B2B marketer, do you consider writing an anonymous case study as being dealt a bad hand?

A client might want to avoid inclusion in a case study for numerous reasons. They can cite valid reasons, such as

• Stringent corporate communications policies
• Risk of divulging sensitive trade secrets
• Possibility of damaging brand reputation

You may perceive writing anonymous case studies as a stumbling roadblock.

On the contrary, great business leaders (including marketers) are likelier to consider it an opportunity to share better, authentic, and valuable B2B case studies.

Several excellent tips can help you transform an anonymous B2B case study into an effective marketing asset to capture leads.

One of the standard tips you will likely come across when writing anonymous B2B case studies is to devise a way to name your client.

Experts will advise you to be as specific as possible without giving away the brand.

Additionally, you will receive caution to use the reference name as little as possible—since you don’t want to remind the reader that you are hiding an identity.

“Focus on referring to the project and work rather than the business,” they’ll say.

We agree that these tips are a good starting point.

However, if you are looking for specific, actionable, and research-driven recommendations drawn from rich experience, you have come to the right place!

This article will share seven tips for writing anonymous B2B case studies to help your business convert valuable prospects into paying customers.

Let’s learn more.

7 Tips for Writing Anonymous B2B Case Studies

To help you better understand and implement these tips, let’s draw parallels with a hypothetical content marketing agency attempting to publish an anonymous B2B case study.

Here is the list of our seven tips for effectively writing B2B case studies to convert prospects:

#1 – Reveal Genuine Customer Problems

#2 – Specify the Existing Inefficiencies

#3 – Inform and Educate About the Implementation

#4 – Candidly Share the Results

#5 – Leverage Storytelling

#6 – Include Powerful Visuals

#7 – Reinforce Your Existing Portfolio

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

#1 – Reveal Genuine Customer Problems

While anonymous B2B case studies do not allow naming the featured client, it is a good practice to lead with the figures to quantify your performance.

For example, a hypothetical content marketing agency can consider sharing the following details:

• Scope: Which geographies and types of customers did the content serve?
• Leads: What number of new targeted leads did the client win?
• Timeline: What was the tenure? How long did it take to streamline the process?
• Financials: How much money did the client save?

#2 – Specify the Existing Inefficiencies

A prospective customer will be highly inclined to understand how your business can replicate how it helped the client solve a challenging business problem.

However, clients might hesitate to reveal (some) inefficiencies in their processes to protect their brand.

An anonymous case study offers an opportunity to get specific about the inefficiency holding back the client.

For example, the hypothetical content marketing agency can share that their client required a dedicated (domain-specific) content marketing agency.

Readers can also learn about the critical yet unapparent inefficiencies holding back the client.

#3 – Inform and Educate About the Implementation

It is vital to reinforce the thought that value trumps believability.

If a case study scrubs away the rigours of achieving desired results, it can unknowingly spiral into and offer the depth and insight of a press release.

Anonymous case studies provide an excellent remedy to this potential problem.

Let your prospects know what was going on!

Understandably, employees at different hierarchies involved in the project’s outcome will have contrasting yet aligned priorities. Highlighting this unspoken reality will add relatability to the case study.

For example, the hypothetical content marketing agency might have juggled between the requirements of different title-holders—strategic to tactical.

The business co-founder would prioritise curating content with an emphasis on publishing insightful content pieces.

The VP of Marketing might require the content to showcase the brand messaging and focus on articulation, sentence structure and thoughts flow.

The product marketing team would prioritise adhering to the brand guidelines, such as typeface, font size, brand colours, and appropriate visuals.

A sales development representative might push for the inclusion of product use cases.

Finally, the partnering content writer would emphasise referencing renowned publications, following presentation and formatting guidelines, etc.

#4 – Candidly Share the Results

While anonymous case studies allow radical transparency, you should consider sharing unexpected benefits or side effects achieved during the project.

For example, as the content marketing agency, besides helping the client bring out their authentic voice and fetch targeted leads, an unexpected (positive) outcome might have been them adopting your (improved) content creation process.

Since no name ties to this content asset, you can delve into the finer details without “shaming” your client.

#5 – Leverage Storytelling

An anonymous B2B case study makes it crucial to elevate storytelling.

The overarching goal is to present your anonymous client as a hero. We consider it advisable to present the case study in a narrative format, as a “Hero’s Journey.”

It is helpful to follow a clear, concise, engaging narrative. If you share comparison statistics, they can aid as a powerful hook.

Consider the following example. “The client invested considerable time and resources” versus “The client had previously managed content marketing in-house for two years, yet faced a lack of consistent website traffic and targeted leads.”

You can learn more about the Hero’s Journey framework by understanding why the squid game is so popular.

#6 – Include Powerful Visuals

You can avoid the inherent limitation of anonymous B2B case studies and share visual proof wherever possible.

This approach offers easily digestible information on how your business solved a client’s problems.

However, you should be diligent and remove any identifying logos, data, or names to protect the client’s privacy.

For example, the content marketing agency can consider sharing snapshots of Google Analytics’ path exploration reports, HubSpot’s attribution reports, and more. They can blur any identifying information yet still provide credible proof of work.

These images can help present a convincing before-after illustration of the agency’s effectiveness.

#7 – Reinforce Your Existing Portfolio

It is advisable not to rely solely on anonymous case studies to establish complete confidence in a reader.

Understandably, your client likely works in a particularly sensitive industry.

However, anonymous case studies are vital to enhancing your existing customer success stories and case studies portfolio.

So how can our hypothetical content marketing agency bypass this stumbling block?

A practical approach is to reinforce the current subsections of your portfolio. This approach helps to present the anonymous case study within the context of existing content assets.

For example, the content marketing agency might serve clients in industries like Accounting & Tax Writing, Banking, Finance & Insurance, and more. Relatively unconvinced prospects can view previously published case studies in the same industry in which clients have willingly participated.

Parting Thoughts

We hope these seven tips help elevate your anonymous B2B SaaS case study and bring actionable and targeted leads for your business. It will be beneficial to ensure that your case study

• Shares a radically honest yet compassionate description of the project
• Talks candidly about the performance, including unexpected observations
• Presents unambiguous proof to remove any persistent doubts
• Utilises a powerful narrative and storytelling for presentation

About Us

We are a content marketing agency that brings business, not just website traffic. We curate well-researched and engaging content as per your company’s requirements and philosophy because we believe in the power of meaningful information.

Does your B2B (SaaS) business want a case study prepared to get more leads and users? Let’s connect over a short call. Block our calendar today!

If you wish to read more goodness, subscribe to our newsletter.

We send value to your inbox only once in 15 days.

The most common mistake anyone can commit while preparing a case study is prioritising the organisation’s promotional message over the audience’s informational needs.

The best B2B SaaS case studies offer helpful context around the brand they are featuring and do not just hog the limelight by talking about their services.

However, many businesses are yet to master creating this content asset.

Of course, we all want to follow the best B2B SaaS case study practices to get more leads and customers, but there is still scope for mistakes that we should avoid at all costs.

This article will share seven mistakes to avoid while writing a B2B SaaS case study.

Let’s begin!

7 Avoidable Mistakes While Writing B2B SaaS Case Studies

Here is the list of avoidable mistakes you should bear in mind when preparing your case study

#1 – Gating the Case Study

#2 – Suboptimal Case Study Title

#3 – Non-Compelling Writing Style

#4 – Lack of Social Proof

#5 – Unactionable CTAs

#6 – Absence of Storytelling

#7 – Missing Emotional Connect

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

#1 – Gating the Case Study

Many B2B SaaS businesses follow the wrong approach of keeping their case studies gated. This means their website visitors can download them only in exchange for their email addresses.

The issue is that gated content does not signal search engines to send relevant prospects your way. When search engines cannot crawl your case study, their users will not be able to learn how your business is solving problems similar to their pain points.

We highly recommend preparing blog-style case studies to leverage search engine optimization. You can copy this powerful B2B case study template to bring leads!

#2 – Suboptimal Case Study Title

Certain elements make for a compelling case study title. Implementing these elements can increase the click-through rate of your B2B SaaS case study.

Ensure that your case study includes the name of your business and your client’s. Mentioning a pain point or the solution to one such pain point. This helps with search engine optimisation. Additionally, adding statistics to the title can make it more compelling and result-oriented.

Take a look at this example (names redacted): “How [CLIENT] Booked 20% More Sales Meetings through [SERVICE OFFERING]”

#3 – Non-Compelling Writing Style

Following a “simple” manner of writing your B2B case study is vital. We mean to say you should consider avoiding using jargon and acronyms.

Remember, the purpose of this content piece is to be customer-centric, not company-centric. By avoiding these pitfalls, your readers can easily comprehend your message – no requirement to provide interpretation.

Write how your readers talk!

For example, a case study mentioned 3 acronyms in 1 paragraph alone, which the reader may not understand. “The [CLIENT] cloud team has approximately 20 members tasked with all operations pertaining to cloud services and DevOps — including any AWS integrations. The integration team leader is responsible for running the CI/CD pipelines for [CLIENT].”

#4 – Lack of Social Proof

Your case study readers are likelier to purchase when they view the much-needed social proof. You can make it available by using block quotes and pull quotes.

Your B2B SaaS case study will be more humanised and credible with the addition of your client’s photo, name and job title, and quotes. These quotes help explain your product’s value from the client’s perspective.

For example, sharing quotes from the client’s key decision-makers and influencers in the complete process can help elevate your case study.

Maintaining a delicate balance between customer quotes and regular paragraphs makes for a more effective flow.

You can build a repository of quotes by asking the right questions to your clients to build engagement and offer actionable insights. For example, consider these 15 B2B SaaS case study interview questions before writing any case study.

#5 – Unactionable CTAs

Undoubtedly, publishing the case study showcases how you can help similar prospective clients solve their common business challenges. Therefore, it is crucial to explicitly signal prospects how they can get in touch with you.

It is essential to think through the case study’s numerous design elements—including the call-to-action (CTA). Your case study should try to allow prospective clients to act on the call-to-action with the least friction possible.

For example, the CTA should be visible and accessible at the bottom of the page. An actionable text CTA requires choosing your words with care.

Less information presented intuitively is easier to process.

You can consider switching between the following calls to action:

• “Start a free trial.”
• “Book a demo.”
• “Contact us”
• “Sign up for the newsletter.”

#6 – Absence of Storytelling

It is vital to appeal to the emotions of your target buyer persona. You can achieve this by maintaining clarity on the ideal persona you want to attract to read your case study.

An excellent way to accomplish this is by presenting your client as a hero. By writing your case study as a “Hero’s Journey,” your prospects are likelier to think, “Yes! It is exactly the problem that I am experiencing right now!”

A narrative-style approach illustrates the entire customer experience. The story-like descriptions detail how your client went from being an “underdog” to a champion user. You can learn the Hero’s Journey framework by understanding why the squid game is so popular.

#7 – Missing Emotional Connect

A well-produced story—written or video—highlights the human reasons for buying your product or service. This helps your B2B SaaS case study cut through the ever-increasing amount of noise in the market.

Yes, we mean video case studies as well. Your SaaS business might be sleeping on an underrated approach of presenting success stories—case study videos!

Check these 10 best case study video examples you can copy to build trust for your SaaS business.

Parting Thoughts

We hope these seven avoidable mistakes help your B2B SaaS case study shine through and bring actionable leads for your business. It would be beneficial to ensure that your case study

• Allows discoverability by Google or other search engines
• Offers crucial details within the title to improve the click-through rate
• Provides an accessible and engaging storyline, emotional connection, and ample social proof

About Us

We are a content marketing agency that brings business, not just website traffic. We curate well-researched and engaging content as per your company’s requirements and philosophy because we believe in the power of meaningful information.

Does your B2B (SaaS) business want a case study prepared to get more leads and users? Let’s connect over a short call. Block our calendar today!

If you wish to read more goodness, subscribe to our newsletter.

We send value to your inbox only once in 15 days.

Most people keep their case studies gated, i.e., their website visitors can download them only in exchange for their email address.

It is the wrong approach.

Here is why!

Gated content doesn’t signal Google to send your probable customers your way.

By probable customers, we mean those searching to solve similar problems like the one you solve on Google.

We highly recommend preparing blog-style case studies to leverage Google search.

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

Benefits of Blog-Style Case Studies

Gain SEO Value

Publishing your case study in a blog-style format makes it easier for search engines to index your content and show your page for relevant keywords. Generally, ranking higher quality content is easier because they naturally get more links.

Extend your Brand Reach

A solid, in-depth story has a better chance of getting natural organic shares to expand its reach. By presenting your case study in a blog-style format, you also gain the freedom to repurpose your content as:

• a podcast episode,
• a social media carousel post, or
• other marketing material.

Improve the Buyer Journey

Case studies can be used for lead generation, yes.

While it may sound counter-intuitive from an inbound marketing perspective, you can gain much more by allowing easy access to client success stories through blog-style case studies. Your website traffic can organically end up visiting your case studies landing page and scanning it to understand how you solve problems for your customers.

Now that we have established a case (pun intended) for publishing your case study in a blog-style format, here is a powerful B2B case study template any business can copy to bring leads.

Powerful Blog Style B2B Case Study Template

[Questions]

The purpose is to open the case study with questions about the readers’ pain points for pain point resonance.

[Introduce the Client, the Challenges they were Facing, the Results they Wanted to Achieve, and their Existing Approach]

By sharing such information, the reader feels relatable, i.e., they also tried something similar and didn’t get the expected results.

[Problem – Why was the Client’s Approach Failing]

This intends to share the problem for which the service agency is providing the solution. The reader should have an “Aha!” moment here – Oh, that’s why my current approach is not working.

[Service Agency’s Approach to Success]

What is the USP of the service agency? How does it uniquely solve the problem to bring the desired results?

[Service Agency’s Step-by-Step Implementation of the Campaign]

What were the service agency’s steps for the client to get them the desired results?

[Results]

Boost the reader’s confidence that the service agency’s approach works by showing the results.

[Hook and Call-to-Action]

Inspire the reader to explore the service agency further. Therefore, in this section, try to overcome any additional objections the reader might have.

If you’d like a downloadable version of this case study template, fill out the form below!

About Us

We are a content marketing agency that brings business, not just website traffic. We curate well-researched and engaging content as per your company’s requirements and philosophy because we believe in the power of meaningful information.

If you also want a case study prepared for your B2B (SaaS) business to get more leads and users, let’s connect over a short call. Block our calendar today!

If you wish to read more goodness, subscribe to our newsletter.

We send value to your inbox only once in 15 days.

I have a confession to make. Being a tech geek and a big Apple fan, I cannot bring myself to stop visiting Apple’s web pages and see what is on offer.

Yet there is a side to me that clearly knows I’m a gullible fan, so I try to deconstruct what tactics Apple uses to make their content so convincing.

With the iPhone season right around the corner, the other day, I closely inspected the previous iteration’s sales copy to understand what made it so compelling. Believe it or not, there is a science (read framework) behind Apple’s content. And no, it isn’t a shiny new framework but something that has been around for decades!

You can also utilise this framework to write compelling blog pieces. Let’s learn how.

Why Do You Hit Publish?

This is a timely reminder to stop, evaluate, and reiterate your approach to creating content for your prospects. A vital outcome (perhaps most important) of content writing is to bring yourself in front of the right audience at the right time by publishing valuable content. Something is amiss if your existing content cannot meet this benchmark for your business.

To achieve this coveted visibility on search engine result pages, start giving readers actionable information they can utilise. Your content must be valuable, authoritative, and signal expertise because quality content helps readers solve their pressing problems.

You might well think if there is a solution to help you achieve just this very objective. But unfortunately, one of the mistakes almost all content writers make is not following a framework to create a workflow to create content in a timely and effective manner on just about any topic for their blog posts.

Why Follow A Framework?

Frameworks are fairly easy to remember and implement. They can also help new and experienced content writers alike to quickly produce compelling articles.

With a content creation framework, you can rest assured that your relevant content will resonate with your target audience. So if you fix this one mistake, you stand a chance to create a lot of great content without spending a great deal of effort. Primarily, having the right system won’t let you go wrong.

AIDA Framework

If you observe closely, established writers have familiar patterns that they deploy to hook readers to their content, like blogs. They use a framework that is an industry standard for sales. The framework is AIDA – attention, interest, desire, action. It treats each piece of content like a sales funnel.

This funnel takes the prospect from discovering your product to becoming a paying customer. These are four sequential steps a consumer takes to purchase a product: First, they become aware of the product and develop an interest in its benefits. Next, they cultivate a desire for it, and finally, they take action to buy it.

Your writing aims to push the reader from one stage of the funnel to the next until they eventually convert at the end of your content. Therefore, writers should use this content writing framework for content that aims to get the reader to take the desired action.

Here is how Apple has deployed the AIDA framework for its sales copy:

Let’s focus on how to utilise this framework for writing blog content. We’ll take cues from articles that Concurate has published previously for better understanding.

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

Content Brief

Before we go any further, a word of advice.

You can string together your blog piece with a framework or two, but if it lacks an underlying structure, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Before attempting to pen your piece, preparing the article’s blueprint is critical – the content brief. Amongst other things, such as reviewing and editing, it will help you:

• Understand the ideal audience for your content piece in fine detail.
• What is your ideal audience’s current outlook on a problem or approach to getting work done?
• What solution is this piece offering to their existing problem?

You can read this article by Concurate on creating a dependable content brief.

AIDA Framework for Content Writing

#1 – Attention

The first step of the sales funnel is where you hook the readers to read your content in its entirety. You can hook the readers by using several elements depending on the topic you’re addressing.

Problem Statement

Why are you writing the specific piece of content? What inspired you to publish it? For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we initiated the piece with a standout observation from our client interactions – a common pain point that Concurate has expertise in resolving.

Source: Concurate

Questions

Address your target audience’s burning question(s). This step requires you to have a thorough understanding of your target reader. For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we began the piece with an empathetic question. We enquired whether the reader is experiencing a common issue that crops up with content marketing efforts.

Source: Concurate

Statistics

The numbers don’t lie! You can consider utilising statistics in the title or the introduction. For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we mentioned credible statistics that went into the article’s publication. This introduction signaled that readers stood to gain from research-backed insights.

Source: Concurate

Studies

Citing robust studies from authoritative sources adds value to your content piece. They also act as a dependable hook! For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we cited a comprehensive study from a reputable organisation that set the tone for a valuable content piece.

Source: Concurate

#2 – Interest

If your content is irrelevant, superficial, and not valuable, you risk having your visitors “bounce” from your website. This action will be a negative indicator to search engines and signal that your content is not valuable for visitors. So how do you keep visitors interested throughout the article?

You can do that by targeting the pain points of your readers. For example, you can follow these steps:

• First, you need to address the search intentions of your audience to keep them engaged. To achieve this, ensure that you explain the negative consequences of not addressing the broader issue. Next, you can utilise credible information and provide as much proof as possible to cement your stance.
• Second, you can offer solutions that address their problems.

Here are some ways to keep your audience interested:

Examples

Providing your target audience with testimonials or tangible examples of solutions to a problem adds substantial weight to your words. For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we shared numerous examples of client success stories across different facets to provide transparency and credibility.

Source: Concurate

Case Studies

By presenting a case study, you allow your audience to gather context around the business problem and what were the successes and failures along the way. For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we referenced our published client case study to give actionable insights on how we approached a business problem.

Source: Concurate

Research and Statistics

In addition to statistics on evolving business and industry trends, share studies on business problems from authoritative sources to keep your audience engaged. For example, in a blog article for Concurate, we shared the results from a reputed case study to support our claims of approaching a business problem.

Source: Concurate

Need

Target the search intent of your readers. What is it that they are curious to know? Share that with them. For example, in a blog article for Concurate, after allowing the readers to digest the introduction, we brought to the fore what the content piece set out to achieve.

Source: Concurate

#3 – Desire

You’ll have successfully resolved your readers’ initial search query by reaching this article stage. But don’t miss the memo, and forget to entice readers to try out your solution!

You can elevate your content by including your personal experiences of tackling a business problem. Pepper your content piece with personal instances, along with external links to case studies, surveys, and statistics, as explained earlier.

It is beneficial to make your content interactive. Dry and dull content will make your ideal readers drop off, making it a lose-lose proposition for everyone involved.

You can think of leveraging the following:

• Statistics on how your content marketing efforts helped clients.
• Testimonials of happy clients to showcase why you’re the best service provider.

For example, in this blog article by ScanWriter, you can observe the excerpts from a client interaction that provide social proof and nudge target readers to try the product.

Source: ScanWriter

Now that you have successfully retained your readers and pitched your product, it’s time to wrap things up.

#4 – Action

You’re creating a piece of content for a specific reason. So let the reader know what that reason is! Be explicit about what action you want them to take.

You can utilise one of the following approaches:

Key Takeaways

A vast majority of the readers tend to skim through the webpage. If you’d like to retain their attention, add a short section on the action steps from your content piece.

Call-to-action

A Call-to-action (CTA) is a great way to generate leads for your business. If you’d like your readers to subscribe to a mailing list, get free resources, and more, then make sure to add relevant CTAs to your content piece.

Related Post

Additionally, you can guide your website visitors to relevant internal links they might find helpful on a subject matter.

Messaging

Messaging doesn’t just help writers to write the blog piece and pitch the brand’s solution in an intended manner. It also gives readers a sneak peek into the thought process of your organisation. For example, at Concurate, we attempt to create content that brings business, not just traffic. We do this by adding relatable stories which maximise conversions.

Source: Concurate

Closing Thoughts

The absence of robust frameworks such as AIDA can make your content directionless. From capturing your target audience and making them stay using credible content to enticing readers to take concrete actions – the AIDA framework has got you covered!

About Us

We are a content marketing agency that brings business, not just website traffic. We curate the best content as per your company’s requirements and philosophy because we believe in the power of meaningful information.

If your organisation wants its content marketing strategy designed by Concurate, let’s connect over a short call. Block our calendar today!

If you wish to read more goodness, subscribe to our newsletter.

We send value to your inbox only once in 15 days.

Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.

Leo Burnett

“Your new superpower”, 

“Light. Years Ahead”, 

“Mega power. Mini sized.”

I am sure you would have already visualized Apple products while reading these lines. The sales copy for Apple products is inarguably easy to recall. The copywriters at Apple not only know how to write copy for high recall value, but also their copies make Apple products highly desirable.

The good news is the code for writing such impactful copies has already been cracked. Presenting 16 copywriting principles to write copy that converts.

**Drum rolls**

The Persuasive Copywriting Tips

#1 – Sell One Idea

Apple doesn’t clutter its copies with multiple ideas. The copy for each of its product lineups focuses on a core issue that is being addressed. After stating the core idea at the outset, Apple adds elements to support it. This helps the consumer know what is important. Take cues from this copy for Apple AirPods Max.

#2 – Write For Easy Scannability

In today’s busy and attention-starved world, not everyone has the time and energy to go through entire pieces of content that your firm publishes. Apple understands that. It uses big headlines to attract a reader’s attention. After that, it utilises a pyramid approach. The font size changes from big to small for presenting the biggest to the smallest benefits. See this copy showcasing macro photography being introduced to Apple’s iPhones.

#3 – Keep It Short, Keep It Simple

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo da Vinci

Apple is notorious for being simple, making its copy easy to understand. It uses short and simple words, sentences and paragraphs. This allows for easy readability and comprehension. Take cues from this copy talking about the touch control mechanism on Apple’s latest AirPods.

#4 – Present Features As Solutions

Avoid the jargon and the technicalities. Instead of discussing terminologies and how Apple has deployed them, it presents how its product features act as solutions. Take the latest feature of Sleep Stages in the Apple Watch. Apple conveys how this product feature will act as a solution – tracking REM, Core or Deep Sleep.

#5 – Use Analogies

Analogies help readers connect two disparate concepts to make sense of the whole. Apple utilises analogies to fuel the reader’s imagination and connect the complicated with the known. In this copy of the iPhone’s camera, Apple allays any concerns and conveys how easy it will be to use the product’s feature.

#6 – Address Objections

It is but a given that prospects will have questions about how a product will help them solve their problems. It’s important to anticipate doubts/questions and address them in your copy. Take inspiration from this copy of Apple’s AirTag. Apple addresses how it will function, how secure and private it is, etc.

#7 – Compare And Upsell

As a business, you’ll ideally like prospects to move to a more premium product tier to help achieve their goals. How do you achieve that? Use comparisons. By comparing the capabilities of your product with those of competitors and your previous versions, you’re better able to highlight how you’re providing markedly improved performance. Consider this copy for Apple’s new Mac computers.

#8 – Use Powerful Words

By talking directly to the consumer and using powerful words like “ultimate”, “powerhouse”, and “amazing”, you initiate action in your target persona to move down the funnel and make a purchase decision. Consider these copies for different variants of Apple’s iPhone.

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

#9 – Less Is More

You don’t always have to wax lyrical about your product’s features. Utilising minimal, impactful words and imagery can work wonders. Consider this copy of Apple’s iPad.

#10 – Use Repetition For Memorability

Start off with the core problem that your product is aiming to solve. Throughout your copy, add supporting elements that lend credence to your main idea. This will ensure that your target audience remembers and is convinced that your product is the way to go to solve the problem. Take cues from this copy of the iPad Mini. The repetition of the word “ultra” drives home the point that Apple is trying to make.

#11 – Use Contrast

Making use of contrasting colours and sizes will help your copy stand out and better drive home the main point. In this copy of Apple’s iPhone 13 lineup, Apple has displayed its devices – side by side – to better communicate its message of the size difference.

#12 – Use Resonating Words

Alliteration is “a literary device that repeats a speech sound in a sequence of words that are close to each other.” Using words that echo off of each other, and resonate with one another, will help you make your copy easier to read, understand and memorise. Take cues from this copy of Apple’s iPad.

#13 – Use Sound Bites

Making use of creative sound bites will ensure that your copy is easily quotable and hard to forget. It’s as simple as that! Here is an example of a copy that talks about the latest iPhone camera features.

#14 – Showcase Your Personality

The three words “it just works” made their way to almost every keynote speech that Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs gave. In a similar vein, make it a point to showcase your brand’s personality in the copy. In this copy of Apple’s AirPod lineup, the cue to Apple’s inter-device operability and device “ecosystem” is clearly visible.

#15 – Break Patterns

It helps to break the monotony that might creep into your copy. This will help introduce a sharp contrast and a departure from the usual to register in your prospects’ minds. Take the copy for Apple’s iMac as an example. In one section, Apple showed app icons rather than the usual shots of the product to better communicate and sell the point it was trying to make.

#16 – Use Rhymes

We spoke of alliteration earlier. Additionally, you should make use of rhyming to make it easier for your reader to process and remember your copy. Take cues from this copy of Apple’s MacBook, which discusses the different colours you can choose.

Parting Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this round-up post on creating persuasive copies based on key principles. Alternatively, you may like to read: “5 Key Takeaways On Marketing From The Movie Steve Jobs”.

We are a content marketing agency that strives to bring simplicity, persuasion and relatability to the content backed by thorough research. If you need any help with content marketing, book a call here.

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There are many copywriting tips for SaaS businesses, but we decided on 22 as it went with the theme – tip #23 😊

Crafting your copy just the right way — however finely tuned — can be the difference between ordinary and extraordinary success.

The Highrise sign-up page is one of the most famous examples of how copy tweaks can significantly increase conversion optimization. Highrise experimented with their headlines and subheads on their sign-up page, and guess what? The best-performing one got them 30% more conversion than the original!

This article is about copywriting, and we don’t want to waste your time talking about everything and nothing. You have seconds to catch your customers’ eye; a couple more to convert them. After that, your copy has to work magic and make your customer click that CTA button when they finish reading it. You have lost your chance if they start thinking about it. 

We know this might sound intimidating (honestly, it is!), but we got your back.

How Can You Improve Your Copy?

Here are 22 copywriting tips (with examples) for 2022 to help you write a copy for your Software as a Service (SaaS) business that converts in seconds:

1. Be the Change
2. Talk Like a Friend
3. Make it Urgent
4. Call Yourself Different
5. Solve the Bigger Problem
6. Present the Results
7. Don’t Write for Everyone
8. Your Category Matters
9. Always Have a Reason
10. Don’t Fault the Customer
11. Keep the Sales Funnel in Mind
12. Use Statistics to Prove Your Point
13. Back Your Copy with Research
14. List it Down
15. Just Say What the Problem is
16. Just Say What the Solution is
17. Come Up with New Language for Your Product
18. Raise the Stakes
19. No One Cares About the Features
20. Guarantee to Build Trust
21. Be Fun
22. Use Pop Culture References

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

#1 – Be The Change

Even if your SaaS copy aims to sell your product, make sure you don’t sound salesy. Instead, convey that your product is bringing a change in their lives which was needed all along! Then, let that change speak for you.

In the above Instagram ad, the image speaks for itself. They show the progress and the change that their service can bring in, and it’s compelling. There’s no extra pitch to convince the customer because it is unnecessary. If you were someone who wanted a fitter body, you would click that ‘Install Now’ button to see how the app works.

#2 – Talk Like A Friend

No one likes that one salesperson who counts off all the complicated features of a product. You can use all the jargon in the world and not get one customer. So don’t be that kind of person. Instead, be that friend who explains everything, the person who everyone ends up trusting. Make your copy crisp and easy to understand.

This Nest security camera copy has a simple headline that says it is better than other security cameras. It mentions all its features without making it complicated. 

#3 – Make It Urgent

You want your potential customers to take action immediately, and sounding urgent is the best way. Don’t we all fall for discounts because “oh, it’s ending today!”? The urgency in the copy gives them the reason to act faster, thus achieving your goal. It could be anything from a limited-time offer to a flash sale.

This email copy by Restream, a live-video streaming service, is an excellent example of how urgency can be leveraged to your advantage in getting quicker results. 

#4 – Call Yourself Different

Repeating the same features by saying that you are ‘better’ at them is a bad idea. It leaves little room for trust and interest; you sell what others are already doing. Instead, position yourself as ‘different’ than other brands. This lands you in the spotlight because you bring in something different, something new.

A great example can be Grammarly’s videos. They sell by saying “Grammarly helps you write quickly and confidently” instead of saying “Grammarly helps you write better.” This gives them a chance to present themselves however they want, differently.

#5 – Solve The Bigger Problem

Your product might solve lots of problems, but you need to focus on their biggest. Pointing out everything that your product does will only get the customer confused. So instead, find what’s the most important, the most urgent problem that your product can help your customer with and revolve your copy around it. 

The above website copy talks about just one thing – ‘connecting with your audience with email marketing.’ Campaign Monitor is also helping brands with SMS Marketing, Integrations, Analytics, etc.. Still, they are not positioning themselves as all of those. According to them, emails are the best way to connect with audiences, and hence they have mentioned only that in the copy. 

#6 – Present The Results

Always show off the results. Provide social proof. People are result-oriented. They want to know the outcomes. No one will buy from you if you tell them how your product works or its features. So instead, tell them what change your product will bring in their health, life, business, etc. Run experiments, find data, get testimonials and use them in your copy.

Zoho does this brilliantly. They have a ‘Customers’ page, containing testimonials from the founders and CEOs of hundreds of companies. These testimonials talk about how Zoho’s products have helped their businesses grow. It is incredible with filters for clients from different countries and industries using Zoho’s various products. 

#7 – Don’t Write For Everyone

Make sure your copy does not sound like it’s talking to everyone. It should speak to just one person – the reader that’s reading it at that moment. Make them feel important. They shouldn’t feel like they are lost in the crowd. Talk to them directly. You can’t do it if you use terms like ‘everyone’ or ‘you all’ etc. Use ‘YOU.’

Words like ‘Your’ in the primary copy and the ‘claim my link’ CTA give the reader a sense of importance and possessiveness. The copy is directly talking to that one person, the ‘YOU.’ 

#8 – Your Category Matters

Unless you are a huge brand, not many people will know you by your name. They will be searching for categories like ‘clothing brands for women.’ Suppose you don’t mention your category in the copy and sell your brand name. In that case, your customers won’t even recognize you even if they want your products. So state your category as much as your brand name, if not more so. 

This Instagram bio lets the reader know which category ‘latermedia’ falls into and what it does. 

#9 – Always Have A Reason

No one will buy from you unless they know ‘why’ they should. So always back your copy with a reason. These reasons can be benefits or testimonials, anything that can convince your reader to buy.

Consider this example by Buffer, a tool that provides social media analytics, plan social media campaigns, and views your progress. They have listed testimonials by key decision-makers from leading organizations who swear by Buffer’s services.

#10 – Don’t Fault The Customer

While pointing out your customers’ problems, make sure you are not blaming them for their choices. Your copy shouldn’t make them feel guilty. Don’t give off a negative vibe. Instead, they should feel hopeful after reading your great copy, optimistic that the solution you are offering will solve their problems. 

In its ‘Help’ section, Mailchimp has various articles that help people solve their existing problems instead of blaming them for making them in the first place (Read – Common HTML Mistakes). By doing this, Mailchimp is building its authority which will eventually help with its sales. 

#11 – Keep The Sales Funnel In Mind While Writing

Always keep your brand’s sales funnel in mind while writing your copy. One copy won’t work for the entirety of your funnel. There’ll be people who don’t know anything about your product while others are educated about it but not sure if they should buy it. You’ll need to write different types of copies for these different people. 

There’ll be differences in the language used, information, and presentation. For example, suppose you are writing copies for a SaaS product company. In that case, you will educate the top-of-the-funnel people about your product. Meanwhile, for the bottom-of-the-funnel people, you’ll tell them about the results your product brings in. 

So, before writing, have a clear idea about who you are writing for.

#12 – Use Statistics To Prove Your Point

We are a skeptical species. Your readers are not going to take your word for everything. They need validation, and statistics are the best way to establish your point. So find statistics that back up your reasoning and use them in your copy.

If you are a vegan food brand, tell your readers how many animals are killed every day to produce that meat. If you are a carpooling company, tell them by what percentage they will be decreasing their carbon footprint if they carpool. Find the stats in your industry and leverage them to your benefit.

Adobe took the statistics tip very seriously and went one step ahead by commissioning a report from Forrester to examine the ROI of using Adobe Experience Cloud. They can use these numbers everywhere to validate their point.

#13 – Back Your Copy With Research

This is another way of building that trust factor between the reader and your product. You can back your copy with sound research about your product, your customers’ results, etc, to prove your point.

This is a case study by Loom of one of their clients, Metalabs. Here, they talk about how Loom helped Metalabs increase employee productivity and many other things. In addition, they have backed the results with numbers and statistics, making their research even more authentic.

#14 – List It Down

No matter how good your copy is, it will not make that desired impact if it is not presented well. Write so that your copy is easy to read, not just in terms of language but also in the presentation. Lists are a great way to do that. Whenever you have to write benefits, features, etc., always list them down. It makes your copy look neat and easy for the reader to digest. 

This is an email copy of AWeber, a landing page builder. They have noted all their USPs in a precise list which gives the email a neat look.

#15 – Just Say What The Problem Is

Complicating things has never helped anyone. So when you have to tell your customer what their problem is, don’t go around and around just to sound smart. You are fooling no one but yourself. Instead, state the issue directly, in as few words as possible.

This landing page copy of Asana is a perfect example of this. It talks directly about the problem statement- “Work on big ideas, without the busywork”. It is simple and beautiful.

#16 – Just Say What The Solution Is

The same goes for the solution. It would help if you told your reader how you would help them with their problems as shortly and clearly as possible. No one has the time to sit and discern what solution you have for them.

This is one of the best formats to tell what you do. Just write down, “We Help ___ do ___,” fill in the blanks as per your requirements and tweak the grammar. Then, you have your precise and minimalistic copy!

#17 – Come Up With A New Language For Your Problem

There is a chance you are solving a new problem or not something that people are aware of. This means you need to go to lengths to explain that problem in your copy because why would someone even buy from you if they don’t understand the need? 

But there’s a difficulty here. You can’t put too much information in your copy because no one will read it then. So it HAS to be short. 

So, you come up with new terms to describe your problem. These terms should perfectly fit your scenario and help the reader understand everything without explaining much. The best way to find these new terms? See what your customers are calling you! 

Please read this article where Drift, a conversation cloud company, found its category name with the help of its customers.

#18 – Raise the Stakes

Raising the stakes of your product is another way of convincing your readers to buy it. Tell them what they are missing out on or what will happen if they don’t use it. You want your reasoning to touch people emotionally so that they don’t think twice before buying your product.

If someone says, “I can help your high-growth revenue sales team achieve more,” will you buy from them? You’ll be tempted at the most. But if they tell you, “We’ll give you the playbooks and data you need to reduce burnout and lower turnover”, you’ll be more likely to talk about the specifics of the product.

LEON helps companies be at the forefront concerning issues related to their employees’ happiness, well-being, and performance. For this exact reason, LEON’s landing page gives a compelling case to try its services.

#19 – No One Cares About The Features

We know this hurts, but it’s a fact. Your readers don’t care about the features as long as they don’t see how they will help them. Sell the benefits instead. Tell them how it will address their pain points and make their lives easier, happier, healthier, etc. For example, you are a brand that makes air fryers. You won’t be able to sell those if you tell them which technology they have used. So instead, tell them how it is beneficial for their health.

The above example is from Typeform’s landing page. It doesn’t say a thing about what features they have used. Instead, the copy tells how Typeform has benefited its users, which is more than enough for the reader to start using it. 

#20 – Guarantee To Build Trust

People are skeptical when they try things for the first time, especially when they are new in the business. You don’t want to lose out on your customers because you don’t have a solid base. To avoid this, build trust by guaranteeing. Guarantee a full refund, a replacement, support, or anything that makes your customer trust you for that first time. However, this is only possible if you trust your product.

Shopify has an entire ‘Support’ ecosystem that guarantees its users help whenever they need it. They also have an active ‘Shopify Community’ page where Shopify users can share their problems and get solutions. This works as an excellent trust mechanism, where you have people just like you who are ready to solve your problems.

#21 – Be Fun

There are ads everywhere. The same formats and templates won’t work anymore. To stand out, you need to do something different, something fun. Humour is a great way to attract people. It adds more to the personality of your brand. So don’t get boxed up with what everyone is doing and try to experiment with more creative and fun ways.

Now, who wouldn’t at least smile after reading this banner? It’s cute, funny, and catchy. If a person reads the copy, they will be curious about the brand.

#22 – Use Pop Culture References

Using Pop Culture References in your ad copies is another way of telling your readers that you are more than just a company or brand. Showing that you enjoy the same movies, books, shows, etc., as your readers give your brand a more human touch. Adding these little references gives them an emotional reason to buy from you.

This is a copy of the popular SaaS tool Semrush used for keyword research and online ranking data. This reference would make them giddy for anyone who is an obsessive “Squid Game” fan!

The Non-negotiable Tips:

Now, not all of the tips mentioned above may help your brand, but here’s a list of some actionable pointers that WILL make a difference:

• No matter what, you must always talk like a friend. Explain as simply and casually as possible to connect better with your readers. 
• Don’t talk about things that don’t matter. Solve the more significant problem so that you have your readers’ attention.
• Present the results to gain credibility. Your results will always speak better than you.
• Whenever you ask your readers to take some action, always have a reason for why they should do it.
• If you have built a great product, don’t advertise its features because no one cares about features. Instead, tell them what benefits your product will bring them and why they should use it. 

Parting Notes

Copywriting is more than just selling. It is also about educating and connecting. Experiment with these above tips to understand what brings in the best results for you. Not everything will work, but something definitely will!

About Us

We believe that website copywriting for SaaS businesses can indeed be a game-changer if approached correctly. At Concurate – a founder-led boutique content marketing agency, we curate well-researched, engaging content to attract your target audience. We strive to bring you business, not just traffic. We have worked with organisations like Triangle IP, IP ToolWorks, Project PQAI, and Xoxoday. Open for a short discussion on how content marketing can help your SaaS business? Book a call here!

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5 CopyWriting Principles To Write a Persuasive Copy Like Apple

“The art of copywriting lies in transforming products from just another shiny product on the shelf to a beautiful object of desire and need.”

Before immersing yourselves into this great learning experience – read the three copies written below:

1. Your New Superpower
2. For all You are 
3. Power Your Work and Play

If you chose the first one – “Your New Superpower”. You just proved that Apple really writes a persuasive copy for their products. In case you chose any of the other two you are not their target audience. By the way – “For all You are” is the copy for Google Pixel 6 smartphone. And, “Power Your Work and Play” is the copy for Samsung Galaxy Note 20.

Either case, if you want to practice the art of copywriting the Apple’s way, pick up a pen and paper, your favourite brand and follow the steps as you read. Read each principle and try to write a copy for your favourite brand. To provide you with more examples, I’ll be writing copies for two brands using 5 principles other than Apple. I am picking two of my favourites for the exercise. Desigual (my styling companion) – an apparel company and Pinterest – a collection of visual treats to eyes for a variety of domains. 

Coincidentally I spotted a similar pattern in copy based on these 5 principles for one more brand called boAt, a wearables company. So, enjoy one more set of examples.

Below are 5 copywriting principles, with examples, that you can use to write a persuasive copy like Apple: 

1. Repeat to Register
2. Use Contradictions
3. Quote Popular Culture
4. Use Rhyming Words
5. Match the vibe with the brand

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

Repeat to Register

It’s a well-known fact in psychology that when something repeats, it is better retained in the memory. The chances of you remembering a tagline after reading it once are very low. Copywriters repeat the important feature so that it gets stuck in the readers’ minds.

• This is how Apple leverages repetition: 

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus: “Bigger than Bigger”

iPhone 11 Pro: “A big beautiful Workspace for big beautiful work“

• boAt does it with slight tweaking:

boAt Watch Iris: “Tells Time, Looks Timeless”

In both examples, the repetition of features makes the reader register and remember them better.

If I were to write similar copies for- 

• Desigual: “Glamorous Apparels for Glamorous Girls”
• Pinterest: “Creative Ideas for Creative Minds”

Use Contradictions

It’s not unusual that a brand might face some objections. Apple comes under the radar because of the high price of its products. The best tactic to overcome these objections is to contradict them with better aspects of the product/service. 

• Apple: 

Apple Watch: “Heavy on Features, Light on Price”

iPhone 3GS: “More to love, less to pay”

In the above examples, Apple contradicts the consumers’ high price claims by shifting the focus on other aspects.

• boAt: 

TRebel Airdopes 381: “Less efforts with more results” 

In this case, ‘less efforts’ mean less charging time and ‘more results’ mean better battery life. 

If I were to use the same tactic for-

• Desigual: “The More You Buy, the Less You Pay”

(It contradicts as well as might make the customer buy more)

• Pinterest: “The Only Stop for Every Innovative Start”

(The above copy uses two sets of contradictions. It emphasises that Pinterest is the only place you need to visit for inspiration.)

Quote Popular Culture:

People love it when brands relate and hype to the same cultural references as they do. It gives the brand a more humanistic side. I’ll most probably buy from a company if they openly share their love for books and movies I love!! It is the major reason why brands today are interacting with their audience on social media. 

• This is how Apple does it: 

Apple M1 and Big Sur: “Creates Beauty Like a Beast” 

(with reference to the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast)

Apple Macintosh: “You’ll see why 1984 won’t be like ‘1984’”

(part of an ad in 1984 referenced to Geoge Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984)

• boAt has launched several products based on the Marvel Studio movies for a limited time offer.

The tagline used is “#UnleashYourSuper”

If I were to quote popular culture for-

• Desigual: “Pamper Yourself Like a Queen“
• Pinterest: “Share your Marvel-ous web of imagination”

Use Rhyming Words

Same as the first principle, rhyming leads to better remembrance. Kids are taught nursery rhymes for their language development. With time and practice, they start to understand the structure of words and sentences which later builds upon the child’s memory. No wonder most of us still remember our nursery rhymes. Apple has been using rhyming as its advertisement tool for a long time. Rhyming can be best used to showcase several features at one go. Below is how different brands utilize it to write great copy. 

• Apple: iPhone 12: “The thinnest, lightest, and fastest iPhone ever”

• boAt: “Do what Floats your boAt”

(The ad targets the youth, asking them to do what brings them joy. It also rhymes and matches beautifully with the brand name.)

If I were to use the rhyming principle for-

• Desigual: “Glam. Fab. Chic. – the head turners”
• Pinterest: “Aesthetic Destination for Kinetic People”

Match the Vibe with the Brand: 

Having a unique brand identity is as important as anything. Everything, including copy, should follow that same brand identity. Matching the vibe of the copy with the brand can do wonders in terms of establishing an image in the customers’ minds. When someone says Apple, I think of the simple, elegant and intelligent design of its products. If you look closely, that is the exact nature of Apple’s copy. 

Let’s see some examples of how brands do it:

• Apple: iPhone 12: “H₂OK – Even better Spill and Splash Resistant”
• boAt: boAt Rockerz 260: “Are You Game?”

If I were to write copy that matched the vibe for-

• Desigual: “Enjoy those envious eye-balls ;)”
• Pinterest: “Scrolling won’t get you anywhere, except to ideas. That’s all that matters.”

Wrap Up

Let’s have a quick walkthrough to all the principles-

• Repeating is the key to remembrance. 
• Swat off the objections coming your way through contradictions.
• Quote popular cultural references to better connect with your audience.

• Rhyming makes it easier for people to recall.
• Match the copy with the vibe of your brand to maintain your brand identity. 

A Copywriting Masterstroke

MacBook: “Light. Years Ahead”

Now, this copy for MacBook doesn’t follow any writing rules. And yet, it manages to convey exactly what it wanted. The MacBook is Light, it is Years Ahead, which together makes it Light Years Ahead.

Sometimes, breaking the rules is worth the risk 😉 

And that’s how, using these 5 principles, you can write to persuade your customers just like Apple. It’ll take lots of practice, of course. So explore, keep thinking of ideas and get them down on paper.

However, if you wish to use your time for something else, we can write persuasive copies for you. Talk to us. 

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The secret to editing the work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer. 

– Zadie Smith

The Heart Of Content

Whether you are editing material supplied by the client or by other writers, or your own copy, think like the reader. The most important consideration in an article is the reader’s persona, his current perception and the new perception that the article is going to build. You must keep in mind as to how the reader will benefit from the information provided in the article.

We’ve converted this entire blog in PDF form that you can download and save for later reading (or sharing with your friends). You can download it using the form below:

Reader’s persona​

Every article should have a well-defined persona it should target or cater to. Identify the ideal audience of the article and make sure that the content caters to the reader’s persona.

The Problem

A good article always tries to solve the problem a particular reader has before it ends. Make sure that the problem is defined and emphasized right in the beginning so that the reader is aware about the content covered in the article.

Current Perception​

The reader has a problem and he might be looking for a solution but this solution might or might not be something he imagined beforehand. He might be aware of a different solution that might have solved the problem (probably not in the most optimal manner possible). Or he might be having a negative/neutral outlook towards the proposed solution which might give him zero incentive to implement it. Make sure that the content is structured in a way which shows that the current perception has been figured and accordingly, the solutions are provided in the article to encourage the target persona to implement it.

Renewed Perception​

Make sure that the renewed perception of your reader and the positive outlook is mentioned at the end of the article. The possible solution to the reader’s problem AND the incentive to adopt this proposed solution should be mentioned in the conclusion.

While editing a written piece of work, keep the above in mind. Use the following editing checklist and aim to:

1. Achieve Maximum Clarity
2. Remove Repetition | Fillers Are A No-No
3. Get The Facts Right
4. Avoid The Jargon
5. Perfect The Spelling
6. Check The Punctuation
7. Make Sure That The Tone Is Conversational
8. Focus On Structure
9. Be Consistent While Formatting

 Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

Editing Checklist #1 – Achieve Maximum Clarity

• Break long sentences into two or more sentences to keep them short.

For example – Now the product that gets created based on the inventor’s idea is revolutionary and it reaches the public domain without any IP protection, which is under the threat of fast followers as the companies out there who have resources and capital are always on a look for products which they can easily copy and sell for a lower cost. (Too long – 59 words)

Change to – Now the product that gets created based on the inventor’s idea is revolutionary. And it reaches the public domain without any IP protection. It’s under the threat of fast followers. Companies out there who have resources and capital are always on a look for products which they can easily copy and sell for a lower cost. (Broken into 4 sentences – 13, 10, 7, 26 words  respectively)

• Understand the topic. If the message can be potentially misinterpreted, change it.
• Use contractions as they help to make the article more reader-friendly.For example – It is possible that you might not have a budget to pursue all the inventions for IP protection.

Change to – It’s possible that you might not have a budget to pursue all the inventions for IP protection.

• Change the passive voice to active voice. Sentences written in an active voice flow better and are easier to understand, whereas sentences using a passive voice are often harder to understand.

For example – Better decisions have been taken by winners by establishing a set of tools and criteria to make the right call. (passive)

Change to – Winners take better decisions by establishing a set of tools and criteria to make the right call. (active)

Editing Checklist #2 – Be Succinct! | Fillers Are A No-No

• Eliminate all padding and be prepared to add material. Be careful of plagiarism, which is a strict no.
• Unnecessary words tend to make the article monotonous and the reader loses interest.

For example – There are lots of better, more interesting ways to start sentences.

Change to – Begin your sentences in an interesting way.

• Remove the redundant expressions.

For example – It is absolutely essential to clarify the technical terms.

Change to – It is essential to clarify the technical terms.

• Do away with the fluff, be as succinct as possible.

For example – The Triangle IP Innovation Capture Tool (“TIP Tool”) is a tool which helps the inventors with the patent mining process. It is an intuitive drag-and-drop tool to take control of your patent capture process.

Change to – The Triangle IP Innovation Capture Tool (“TIP Tool”) is an intuitive drag-and-drop tool to take control of your patent mining and capture process.

• Get rid of the adverb and replace the expression with a stronger verb or adjective, as the case maybe.

For example – The layout of the website looks very beautiful.

Change to – The layout of the website looks gorgeous.

 

Editing Checklist #3 – Get The Facts Right

• Make sure that the material is accurate.
• Do your own research to verify the information in the article.
• In a product review article, make sure the user is able to understand the products based on product usability.
• For informational articles, make sure the user is able to implement the advice practically.
• In case of any citations:
• Make sure that the source is legitimate.

For example – Wikipedia is not a legitimate source of information as most of the Wikipedia pages can be edited by anyone. It’s difficult to verify the correctness of the information on Wikipedia.

• Change the citation to the original source instead of the source where the original source is quoted.

For example – If there are some statistics regarding patents which have been published by WIPO and are available on another website. While using the statistics, the link to the WIPO website should be cited instead of the other website.

• Make sure the images/videos/media used are royalty free and accompanied with the source. The image/video/media should come after the content.

 

Editing Checklist #4 – Avoid The Jargon

• If the jargon is necessary, add a description of the technical terms for a layman’s comprehension.

For example – If your audience is not from a technical background, then explain words such as Patent – It is an exclusive right granted for an invention. 

• In case of any abbreviations, add the full form at the first instance.

For example – WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) provides IP (Intellectual Property) services that encourage individuals and businesses to innovate.

• Replace the complex word with the simple ones, where possible.

For example – Before filing a patent, a prior art search is necessary.

Change to – Before filing a patent, finding out if your invention is novel is necessary.

 

Editing Checklist #5 – Perfect The Spelling

• Use the spell checker as back-up but don’t solely rely on it.
• Be sure of using the same accent throughout the article i.e. either UK English or US English depending on your audience.

For example – UK English – Organisation or Favour

US English – Organization or Favor

• Be careful with the usage of the homophones. 

For example – This is a checklist for editing a written peace of work. (peace is wrong in the context)

Correction – This is a checklist for editing a written piece of work.

 

Editing Checklist #6 – Check The Punctuation

• Unnecessary punctuation can kill the flow of the entire article. Use the punctuation only where necessary and helps give clarity to the readers.
• In case of too many commas in a sentence, add a full stop and make it short. (See the first example under #1.)
• Just keep it simple and be careful with the colons, apostrophes, quotation marks, and commas.

For example – when used as a descriptor, the word ‘which’ takes a comma. But the word ‘that’ doesn’t.

• Use tools like grammarly, which is a digital writing assistance tool.

 

Editing Checklist #7 – Make Sure That The Tone Is Conversational

• Conversations are more enjoyable than lectures. While editing make sure that the tone is conversational with the target persona.
• Make sure that the tone and flow of the article is relatable for the target persona. 
• Change the negative sentences to the positive ones. 

For example – Do not use complex words.

Change to – Avoid using complex words.

• Change the strong negative words in the article.

For example – A complex invention disclosure form is every inventor’s nightmare. 

Change to – Inventors don’t like to fill complex invention disclosure forms.

 

Editing Checklist #8 – Focus On Structure:

• The article should have a proper structure. Make sure the intent for the topic of the target audience is described at the beginning.
• In most cases, where possible, follow the structure – Introduction with context setting -> Problem -> Solution -> Conclusion with a Call to Action (CTA).

For example – In an article titled ‘Protect Your IP Before Your Co-Founder Leaves Your Startup’, you start by giving context as to how a co-founder is also an employee privy to confidential information. The problem part will include the consequences of a co-founder leaving the startup and how they can take the IP with them. The solution part will provide tips like assigning the IP to the company rather than co-founders, employment agreements, NDAs etc. Finally the conclusion will summarise and help understand the reader how the simple solutions can help them avoid any complicated situations when their co-founder leaves the startup.

• There should be a proper flow and the article should not go back and forth on the information it is providing. Make sure that the content relating to a particular sub-heading is all under it instead of the content being scattered under various sub-headings.
• Keep your paragraphs short.
• Modify the sub-headings if they do not clearly give the gist of the content.

 

Editing Checklist #9 – Be Consistent While Formatting:

• The formatting should be consistent throughout the article.
• Capitalise each word for the headings and subheadings. 

For example – Be consistent with formatting.

Change to – Be Consistent With Formatting.

• Check the alignment of the text. Keep it left aligned for headings and justified for the main text.
• Follow the style guide and ensure that the same font is used throughout the article.
• In a listicle, make sure the bullets and/or the numbering format is consistent.
• Make sure that the main title is formatted as heading 1, main headings are formatted as heading 2, subheadings as heading 3 and the rest of the article as normal text.
• Check the line spacing and paragraph spacing.

 

Pro Tip: If you are editing your own work, get some time away from the article before you start editing. 

Hope this checklist will be really handy in your editing process to curate effective content!

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