Online marketers know how important quality content is for generating conversions, and using “power words” to trigger emotional responses can be a very useful tool. Each of these groups of words has its own purpose when it comes to provoking certain emotions in customers, and here we’re going to talk about power words—why we use them, and the best ways to use them to effectively improve your conversions.
What are power words?
People react to what they read, and the right content helps them connect with certain brands. To have the most impact, it’s important that the right power words are used, and that they fit a particular context.
Online marketers use catchphrases and slogans to make their target audience remember their brand, so they know the power that words have to spread brand awareness. Even when people don’t intentionally read them—and may not always even understand the meaning—the brains subconsciously absorbs everything, and this affects consumer decisions.
It makes them take action, and that’s why power words work on websites, but more about that in the next paragraph.
Why do we use them?
First and foremost, power words are used to help you increase your conversion rates. They can be very persuasive and that’s why copywriters use them—because their primary intention is to motivate and encourage people to take action.
You can use them wherever you want on your e-commerce website, but you need to use them carefully, adequately, and only to strengthen the message you already convey through your content.
They are used:
- In headlines
- On landing pages
- On blog posts
- In opt-in forms
- In different pop-ups
They help you create this special effect on your audience, which motivates them to open a certain link, click on a certain button, and other actions.
In addition to provoking emotions, they can trigger curiosity in people and significantly improve the overall impression compared to commonly-used words.
For example, if you use pop-ups and want to create a high-converting CTA, certain words need to be highlighted and attract the attention of your visitors in order to stop them from ignoring your offer.
However, you should not overdo it on the use of power words because it can sound insincere, and repel people instead of attracting them. So, be careful and learn how to create a perfect balance to reach your business goal.
How to use them
When you start using power words, you need to first determine the specific goal you want to achieve. Your copy needs to match both your brand identity and a particular emotion that you intend to evoke.
When it comes to text, everything needs to be blended perfectly and there needs to be clear context in order for the message to be conveyed properly to your audience.
In comparison to commonly-used words, power words are:
- Action-driven
- Unique
- Emotionally-charged
- Descriptive
If you strike a balance between power words and common words, you will achieve the best effect.
There are several different groups of power words that you can use to provoke different emotions, so let’s check them out.
1. Curiosity words
These are the words that will help you attract your visitors and inspire their curiosity. They should make your content irresistible, which will urge visitors to take action.
Example:
Source: Gap
The word ‘unique’ in the CTA gives a certain sense of exclusivity, and people can rarely resist that which is why unique offers are something they prefer.
Some other curiosity words are:
- Interesting
- Odd
- Top secret
- Astonishing
- Confidential
- Eye-opening
- Hush
- Private
- Shocking
- Strange
- Shh!
- Off the record
- Under the table
- Unexplored
- Forbidden
2. Greed words
Greed creates a need in people to always have more than they currently have or even need. Greed words play a role in making visitors believe that there is so little of something extremely valuable in stock left that they just have to grab this opportunity.
Example:
Source: Richpage
Here we can see that “Don’t miss out” has been used to influence visitors’ concerns that they will miss out on something and that it is absolutely unbeneficial for them to leave the website.
Some other greed words are:
- Bargain
- Best
- Bonus
- Double
- Free
- Earn more
- Get more
- Jackpot
- Price break
- Save
- Reduced
- Skyrocket
- Profit
- Nest egg
- Marked down
3. Trust words
Using trust words helps you build trust between your audience and your brand and allows you to somehow prove to your customers that you will deliver on your promise and that you are reliable.
Example:
Source: FrankAndOak
“Skip or cancel anytime” serves to reassure your visitors and to provide them with some kind of guarantee that everything will be fine and that if at any time they wish to unsubscribe, they can do it.
Some other trust words are:
- Accredited
- Approved
- Best selling
- Fully refundable
- Guaranteed
- Results
- Worthwhile
- Effective
- No risk
- Proven
- Verify
- Certified
- Try before you buy
- Case study
- Supported
4. Sloth words
People are often tempted by anything that helps them minimize the workload and makes their job easier. They aim to achieve their goals easily and quickly, which makes the use of sloth words necessary.
Example:
Source: Problogger
They are especially effective when used in headlines such as the words “Simple Hacks”, also when the reader wants to reduce complications or just quickly get to what he needs.
Some other sloth words:
- Accessible
- Comprehensive
- Effortless
- Fail-proof
- In less than
- Minutes
- Quick
- Ready
- Practical
- Downloadable
- Magic
- Step-by-step
- Tricks
- Recipe
- Instantly
The bottom line
Reading these groups of power words with different effects should make it easier for you to create an effective copy and increase the number of conversions.
One of the places where you can put power words and benefit from them enormously is a pop-up. Poptin can help you create engaging and converting pop-ups with strong CTAs and attract your visitors’ attention quickly.
Use power words to increase conversions and see the results!
