Don’t Reinvent the Wheel … Use a Copy Formula!

If you are new to copywriting, perhaps you are all eager and ready to become the Shakespeare of marketing prose. Or, maybe you are an experienced writer who is totally dedicated to the trade, and putting in serious hours while composing superior copy. Regardless, you may want to consider using formula writing to save time while still generating quality stuff.

We’ve outlined for you the “Four Classic Copywriting Formulas,” used by efficient marketers all over the Internet, to help reduce time spent staring at blank pages. We’ll give you a taste of each below, but stay tuned for follow-up blogs diving deeper into each formula, coming soon…

1. PAS

Problem, Agitate, Solve

PAS copywriting formula can be applied to various lengths of marketing copy, ranging from three sentences to a whole page. Here’s how it works:

• Problem – describe the pain point that the consumer has
• Agitate – discuss how it will only get worse without a solution
• Solve – provide the solution

For example: 

You’ve got a ton of copy to write, and don’t know how to get started. But the more you wait, the greater the backlog will become. Use the PAS formula to get a jumpstart on reducing your workload while creating convincing copy.

2. The Four Cs

Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible

The Four Cs copywriting formula are mostly relevant for writing that is short and to the point, while credibility is achieved by demonstrating value. You should evaluate all of your copy to make sure it meets this standard, but the Four Cs are particularly valuable for copy with limited space.

For example:

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3. The Four Us

Useful, Urgent, Unique, Ultra-specific

The 4Us copywriting formula is great for publicizing limited offers and explaining why it is worthwhile to covert now. The Four Us are not necessarily a way to pressure sales – instead, for example, offer a discount code in exchange for clicking a short promotional video. 

For example:

The 4 Cs or the 4 Us – which to choose? Find out with our 5-minute copywriting webinar this Wednesday!

4. AIDA

Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

The AIDA formula is an elementary one that is the basis of many derivatives. As such, it is one of the older formulas and has been applied extensively across all types of media, including prehistoric technologies like newspapers and radios. AIDA is a particularly useful guide for writing headlines backed up with a CTA. 

For example:  

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Just Scratching the Surface

We’ve only briefly touched on copywriting formulas, and now you need to try them out with your messaging and audience. Unfortunately, there’s still no guarantee that any particular formula, or your application of it, will attract readers and get them converting at the maximum rate. That requires reiteration and testing, both in terms of the way you have expressed your product’s values, and how you have done so across the other copywriting formulas, to see what appeals most to your audience.

If only there was a way to automate the entire process…

As Long as You’re into Saving Time

The whole point of using formula writing is to improve efficiency, and perhaps the most effective approach is to let artificial intelligence apply the formula for you.

Anyword’s AI-based copywriting technology comes complete with an option to build marketing copy using these formulas, with PAS and AIDA already supported. Simply choose the type of copy (ad, blog, landing page, etc.), the copywriting asset that you need, and the formula that you want to try. 

One click produces variants that are even graded according to predictive performance. All you’ve got to do is post the best one, see how well it converts, and perhaps go through the process again; it takes only minutes to build line after line of formula-based copy. 

Once you’ve found your winning formula, the rest is as simple as clicking the “Generate” button—and Anyword delivers all the new copy you need.