10 Secrets to Persuasive Content Writing By a Writer 

Learning how to write persuasive content writing is every writer’s goal. Whether you’re selling a product, an event, or your novel, it’s a skill that would prove advantageous. Although persuasion in writing can be a challenging task, it’s totally doable. 

While the secrets to persuasive content writing vary from writer to writer, here are ten of the best that most writers agree on. 

What is Persuasive Writing? 

On average, 80% of people read headline copies, and only 20% go through the rest, according to Copyblogger. That’s a copious amount of time wasted on researching material and checking for correct grammar. This is the reason persuasive writing does every writer good. Being influential in the headlines alone can help you get your message across to more readers. 

Persuasive writing is the art of convincing or persuading your readers to believe in your opinion or idea. It is also the act of writing to get people to take action using carefully chosen words. It is mostly used in selling or advertising a product, reviews, reaction papers, and many more. 

Whatever type of writing you do, it’s always a good idea to be persuasive in every piece. Here are the top 10 persuasive content writing tips gathered from other writers as well as my personal experience. 

Write for Your Best Audience 

They say you cannot please everyone, but you can always try. While it’s very tempting to write for a wider audience, turning your focus on your best audience, even if only a small number, works the best. Knowing who would benefit the most from your piece will bring you better results. 

Even the best of your arguments won’t mean a thing if nobody’s reading it. Understand who you’re trying to convince and work around that knowledge. 

Be Truthful 

Some people view persuasive content writing as akin to manipulation. For some, it could be true, but that doesn’t have to be. Your audience deserves nothing but the truth, so it’s best to avoid using information that misleads. 

In addition, you have to believe what you’re writing. Make the readers feel what you are feeling. As Robert Frost said, 

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” 

If you want people to believe in what you’re saying, you should be the first to believe in it. 

Start with a Question or Quote 

Using a question or a quote from an authoritative voice can grab the attention of readers. Once you have introduced a concept coming from that question, you can then easily convince them. The intention is to lead them to read the first paragraph well into the rest of the content. 

Provide Evidence 

After grabbing their attention, you can hook them in with powerful evidence. You can do this in the form of a review, a quote, or an official statement. Think of it as a social proof that will explain why they should think of your idea as something they should take action in. 

A study conducted by Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange shows that online reviews influence 80% of consumers. This is the type of evidence you need to make your content more persuasive. 

Write Simply and Clearly 

Before you can persuade anyone to believe in what you’re writing, you have to make them read your piece. In this fast-paced world that’s overloaded with information, getting someone’s attention is an achievement in itself. Don’t make them go away by writing unintelligibly or using highfalutin words. 

We often hear the saying less is more. Doing this in your writing gives you that high chance of people reading throughout the entire piece. Don’t expect them to reread it when there’s something they can’t understand. Always stay on the side of caution that you only have one chance to get them to read what you wrote. 

This entails using fewer big words and shorter paragraphs. People’s attention span today has been compared to less than that of a goldfish, according to Time. Always make sure to write in snackable portions to avoid them getting bored. 

Use the Right Tone of Voice 

Writing in the right tone of voice can mean the difference in persuading them to your side and being left behind. This makes you more human, gives you more credibility, and makes you more authoritative. These are the exact qualities you need to become persuasive. 

Speak to the Emotions 

Appealing to your readers’ emotions is a great way to persuade them to go in your favor. Speak to them using love, greed, fear, honor, or any emotion that will go with your piece. You can also base your writing on the feeling that you want to elicit from your readers to get them to take action. 

Tell a Story 

There’s a reason we love listening to stories when we were kids. This elemental principle still applies to us as adults. It’s engaging as well as great for building a strong emotional connection with your readers. 

A story can bring your arguments to a level that the reader can relate to. It also entertains and lets them see and feel things as you would. It is an excellent way to make them do the same things when they put themselves in your shoes. 

Address Probable Objections 

There will always be the possibility of getting objections from your readers. Make sure that you address them head-on instead of waiting for them to react. This is an excellent way to establish authority and get skeptics to turn around before becoming one. 

Empathize with Your Readers 

You ask your readers to view your idea from your shoes, it’s only fair to see it as they would. Doing this lets you write something that won’t leave them wondering. It’s like persuading them to do what they already want to do. 

Final Thoughts 

From copywriting to social media content writing, writing persuasively gets you more engagement, interest, and more revenues. Although there is more to it than what’s listed here, you can always experiment and see what works best for you.