Copywriting has evolved through the ages, with more businesses now prepared to take risks and try for something different, edgy even, when it comes to executing a marketing campaign. This is particularly true of copywriting in London, where such a huge influx of different international brands come together to compete for a limited market share.

An all-important extra few percentile points could actually come from an effective tag line or ad campaign, and so demand for top quality copywriting services in London has never been higher. With that in mind, it can’t hurt to have a quick refresher on what it takes to write compelling, clear and concise copy that does exactly what it’s supposed to.

Some of the following tips may seem relatively basic, but copywriters could do worse than occasionally go back to those basics. We can’t always be attempting to reinvent the wheel, otherwise we would perpetually be going round in circles. No matter whether the target is to be massively ground-breaking with the content, or just to fulfil the client’s very basic expectations, there are five golden rules which should always be followed, and here they are – the five top tips for successful copywriting.

1. Know your audience

You could write the best line in existence since the dawn of marketing content, but if it’s only appeal is to the 30-to-40 year old market, and your product is intended for teens, well, you know…. Identify the audience before starting on any project content. What do they like, what do they do, what do they watch and what do they read? You can never know too much about those you are targeting.

2. Research, and then research some more

Information gathering is paramount to success for any copywriting project. What are other similar companies doing? Checking out the competition to see how they do it is something that all copywriters do, not to copy, just to see if they are nailing it or not. Look at what marketing or advertising your client has done previously and identify what worked and what didn’t.

3. Be interesting

This doesn’t always come easy to some. But each line should be crafted to make the reader want to read the next one. The only way to achieve this is to spark their interest, and the only way to do this is by creating unique, original and fresh copy.

4. Keep it simple

When it comes to copywriting, it can become tedious when writers attempt to flex their extended vocabulary all over the page. More often than not, a simple message will have much broader appeal. If nine letter words are your thing, play more Scrabble.

5. Tell a tale

Creating resonating and vivid imagery within the mind of the reader is the key to great copywriting. Inspire with the words, and wherever possible, try to tell a story. Humans always have and always will love a good story.