A blog post about copywriting and cooking is a topic that I’m not going to lie, I’ve been thinking about writing for some time now.
There’s just something in the air and around town that has made me more aware of the importance of good copywriting.
I talked to somebody who compared good writing with good cooking and found myself nodding along with each point as they are all points that come up quite often when discussing or debating copywriting techniques. So what do you say? Shall we dig in?
Here’s 5 good copywriting lessons you can learn from good cooking.
1 | Good writing is about good ingredients – good content
Just like good cooking, good copywriting starts with good ingredients. If our copy is going to be a success, we have to start by making sure that we are choosing the right words for any given situation.
When it comes to using certain words in our copy, there will always be more than one word that can be used to describe particular things or actions. It is important that we take the time to choose the right words for our audience.
We cannot expect others to react positively if we use the wrong word or phrase when trying to communicate something very specific – they may end up thinking of something else!
2 | Good cooking requires good timing
Just like a good meal, good copywriting also needs good timing. We need to ensure that the message we are trying to communicate with our audience is timed perfectly. The right place and the right time in which it should be delivered can make all the difference between getting your message through or not.
As good home cooks know from experience, there comes a time when every dish is just perfect for serving and eating – depending on what you’re cooking of course! And this means that everything about the dish needs to be considered before it gets plated up: what goes with it, how have you prepared it and so on. Good timing is essential – even if you use the right ingredients , there will be a point in time where the dish will not turn out good. It means your ingredients will be “overcooked” if you wait too long and don’t have your timing at point.
3 | Good copywriting requires good presentation and good rhythm
We have a saying, “One eates with his eyes” and good copywriting is no different. If you can’t get the reader to look at your copy with good rhythm, they’ll most likely be turned away before they’ve made it through the first paragraph.
As good home cooks know, presentation is very important and that good presentation equals good tasting and eating (if you’re into cooking, I’m sure you understand what I mean).
But if we are going to use cooking as a metaphor for good copywriting , we have to remember that our readers read with their eyes too – so good presentation for good content means using certain techniques and psychology of marketing in order to really capture the readers’ attention.
While it might not seem like it, good writing is about good presentation. Good writing needs to have good rhythm – just like good cooking! Take sushi for example, a roll of sushi should look exactly how you want your readers to feel about the message you’re trying to get across. You won’t communicate that feeling if your copy doesn’t deliver its purpose successfully.
4| Good food as good copy is made to be shared
Great food is always made to be shared – with your friends and family! In fact, most people who cook for a living would say that sharing your recipe is part of the whole experience; it’s how you get others to want to eat what you’ve cooked.
Copy is just like that. Great copy is also made to be shared. We want our good writing to be good enough that it is shared with others. Great copywriting is good enough to stand out from the rest of the content on any given website or magazine and we do this by ensuring that it’s good enough quality as well as good in terms of quality, quantity, and variety.
Just like food, if your copy can’t be tasted there is no point in making it. Don’t keep it to yourself but share it with others. That’s because good writing is good communication . Good copywriters know this, they don’t try to sell something by keeping their strategy a secret – they share their knowledge!
Like good cooks, good writers cook for the enjoyment of sharing what they’ve created with others. And good communication is about effectively telling your story in a way that resonates at a very specific moment when someone reads your copy.
5| Good food and good copy are best served fresh
Yes, good food tastes better if you eat it fresh (we’ve all had stale cake right?), so does good copy.
Content Marketing is good for business because good content gets read. People want to read good, quality content (and good copywriting) when they see it. This helps give good businesses exposure. Good copywriters know how to create fresh content over and over again. That will keep attracting readers and businesses alike.
Think about this: everybody gets hungry sooner or later! So when we have something yummy to work through a lot of topics with, many people are going to want a bite too. When they see good fresh copywriting, people will be more likely to share it and are more likely to come back for more good copy.
For dessert
So as you can see good cooking and good writing aren’t so different after all; both begin with good ingredients, are timed carefully, are presented well and are always meant to be shared – even if only with one other!
And as good home cooks know, quality ingredients make for quality dishes – so if we’re using good copywriting techniques in our content creation strategies, we won’t be able to go wrong!
The bottom line?
Be clear about what you’re saying without being overly complex. Make sure that everything fits together properly; add just enough detail without getting bogged down in unnecessary fluff.
Bring the best out of yourself by making sure your copywriting is like a brilliant menu. Make it good, and good enough to be shared!
Want more good cooking?
There’s no such thing as a bad meal; there are just good cooks who haven’t had time to experiment with different ingredients or do things they already know how to do very well. (Leah-Anne Thompson – from BBH )’
It’s good writing that grabs people’s attention and good cooking that makes good food taste good!
You need help cooking?
Would you like help in the cooking/copywriting area? Want good food and good copywriting for your business or blog? Get in touch with us. We’ll show you just how tasty our copy is!
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