Are you struggling to craft a copy that helps you connect with your audience and encourage your audience to take action?
If Yes, then you are not alone!
Research shows that the average reader’s attention span nowadays is 8 seconds, so it is challenging to encourage readers to read your complete copy.
Nowadays, most businesses fail because they ignore how they communicate with their audience.
It has happened because of the following reasons:
- Their copy is too vogue.
- They write too long paragraphs, making their copy feel like a textbook.
- Their copy is too bland, having no emotion or action.
- They leave their copy faceless, having no credibility and signature.
To avoid these mistakes that most brands make, you need to follow the framework that helps you to write your copy in a way that:
- Hold the attention of your reader.
- Ignite their desire.
- Cut through the noise.
- Builds trust.
Do you want to know about a framework that helps you craft a copy that achieves the goals I mentioned above?
If Yes!
So, welcome to this guide. In this blog, I will share with you the simple but powerful copywriting formula, the 4 Ss copywriting formula, which will help you transform your copy from ordinary to extraordinary converting machine.
This blog is for everyone, whether you are a solo entrepreneur, small business owner, content creator, or someone who wants to improve your copywriting skills.
So, are you starting to learn about The 4 Ss?
If Yes, let’s start.
All About 4 Ss
What is the 4 Ss Copywriting formula?
The 4 Ss copywriting formula is a robust four-step framework that helps you craft persuasive, highly impactful copy that grabs your reader’s immediate attention and encourages them to take action.
The four S of this formula stands for (Specific, Short, Sizzling, and Signed) each S of this framework plays a significant role in how your reader processes, perceives and acts on your copy and as a group, they create a memorable and persuasive experience for the user that drives action.
Why does 4 Ss matter in modern copywriting?
In the highly competitive digital landscape, it is becoming harder than ever to grab the attention of your readers first, and then it becomes harder to hold them until they convert.
To achieve your desired result, the 4 Ss framework helps you write a copy that:
- It helps your reader to get important information fast.
- It builds emotional connectivity.
- It enables you to build trust in the mind of the reader.
- It forces you to write core values instantly.
The Psychology Behind the 4 Ss
Cognitive science and different behavioural triggers make each of the 4 S formulas highly effective. Let’s discuss each one.
Specific
People don’t like uncertainty, so making your copy specific decreases the mental effort of your reader and increases the chances of getting a positive response.
The psychological principle that Specific covers is Cognitive fluency, which states that (the easier something to process, the more appealing and trustworthy it seems).
Short
Don’t think short means less information– mentioning the desired and valuable information directly without overwhelming reader conciseness, which shows that you respect your reader’s time and keep them engaged.
Short’s psychological principle is The Paradox Choice, which says that too much information can overwhelm and paralyze your reader).
Sizzling
Emotions influence human decision-making. It is important to know that people make their choices emotionally first, then justify them logically.
The psychological principle that Sizzling covers is Emotional priming, which says that emotional stimuli increase recall and engagement).
Signed
Personalization sparks trust. Adding a personal touch, such as a photo, name, or signature, makes your copy feel human and real.
The psychological principle the Signed covers is the Source Credibility Effect, which says, ” We respond to the message better from relatable and credible people).
Deep Dive: The 4 Ss Break down
In this section, we will break down each S of the 4 Ss formula to determine how to apply it exactly.
So, let’s start!
Specific
Specificity means that your copy should be clear and precise, focusing on one message, which should be highly focused on outcomes instead of opinions.Specificity adds believability and weight to your message.
Tips to add Specificity
- Use numbers that show quantifiable results.
- Add concrete timelines.
- Incorporate your USP that makes you different from others.
Short
Short copy means that your copy should deliver your message in as few words as possible because nowadays, people’s attention spans are shorter, and you have a tiny window to engage them.
Best Practices for Short
- Ensure that each sentence should not be longer than 12 words.
- For hook, Incorporate 1-2 punchy lines.
- Improve readability by breaking your long copy with bullet points or subheads.
Sizzling
Sizzling means that your copy must have an emotional touch and create a sense of urgency. A flat copy is easily forgettable. That’s why emotions are essential: emotional language brings your copy message to life.
How to do it?
- Use emotional triggers such as FOMO (fear of missing out), desire, hope, etc., to evoke your reader’s emotions.
- Incorporate mini-stories in the Before -> After -> Result structure formula.
- Use powerful words such as guaranteed, fearless, etc.
Signed
In this section, you need only build a sense of credibility by establishing trust and authenticity by adding personalization (humanizing your copy).
It is the typical psyche that people trust people because it builds a sense of connection and trust.
How to “Sign” Your Copy?
- Incorporate case studies/ logos of your clients.
- Add testimonials with full name, professional role or title, location, and photo.
How To Apply 4 Ss To Craft Different Types Of Copy
In this section, you will learn how you can use the 4 Ss copywriting formula to craft major types of copies, such as:
- Email copy.
- Website copy.
- Social media copy.
So, let’s begin!
How do you use 4 Ss to write an email copy?
In order to write copy using the 4 Ss copywriting formula, there are four steps you need to follow such as:
Step 1 (Goal: Get Open):
In step one, you only need to focus on writing your email’s first touch point (Subject Line). Here you need to focus on (Specific + Sizzling).
How to apply?
- Determine the main benefit you are offering in your email copy.
- For Specificity, incorporate the timeframe or number.
- Inject the sense of urgency.
Step 2 (Goal: Hook Immediately):
In step two, focus on making your opening line engaging. It should hook your readers and encourage them to explore your email copy further. Ensure that it is concise and gives a reason for your reader to read more here (Short+Sizzling).
How to do it?
- Ask questions or mention provocative questions at the start.
- Ensure it is concise and does not use more than 10 words.
Step 3 (Goal: Deliver Value):
Now, in step three, you need to focus on the body of your email copy. Here, you need to focus on the value you are offering. Use (Specific+Short).
How do you craft this section?
- Make your body copy easy to read, add bullet points, and use short paragraphs (1-2 sentences) max for each paragraph.
- Incorporate stats or numbers that show results.
Step 4 (Goal: Drive action):
This is the final step in step four. All you need to do is focus on the Call to Action, encouraging your reader to take immediate action. Here, use (Sizzling+Signed).
How to do it?
- Create a sense of urgency by incorporating scarcity.
- Use action-oriented language.
How to use 4 Ss to write a website copy?
There are four steps you need to follow to write website copy using the 4 Ss copywriting formula:
Step 1 (Goal: Communicate value)
In the first step of writing website copy using the 4 Ss copywriting formula, all you need to focus on is writing the headline. In order to grab the attention, you can use (Specific + Sizzling).
How to do it?
- Use powerful words.
- Incorporate numbers in the form of timeframe or stats.
- Begin with the key benefit.
Step 2 (Goal: Guide Scanning)
In the second step, focus on the subhead that provides the additional context of the headline. Use. Here (Specific + Short).
How to do it?
- Add additional benefits to build more interest.
- Ensure it is concise.
- Incorporate parallel structure.
Step 3 (Goal: Communicate Value)
In step three, shift your focus to the body and call to action of your website copy. Here, you need to use (Specific+Short+Signed).
How to do it?
- Do not write long paragraphs, use bullet points, or write more than three lines long paragraphs.
- Build trust and credibility by incorporating testimonials of clients.
- Use an inverted pyramid (The most essential should be first).
How do you use 4 Ss to write a Social Media copy?
In order to write social media copy using 4 Ss copywriting, you need to follow the following steps such as:
Step 1:
In step one, you must work on the hook by focusing on (Sizzling+Short).
How to do it?
- Build instant curiosity using “How” and “This”.
- Keep it short, not more than ten words long.
- Incorporate results or surprising facts.
Step 2:
In step 2, you need to focus on writing the caption and body of your social media copy. Here, use (Specific+Short).
How to do it?
- Begin with the most important point first.
- You must use a line break after every two sentences.
Step 3
In step three, you need to write your call to action using (Sizzling+Signed).
How to do it?
- Keep it relevant and align with your goal.
- Creating a sense of urgency encourages your reader to act fast.
Conclusion
The 4 Ss copywriting formula is a strategic approach that transforms your copy and makes it compelling and attention-grabbing.
This formula can help you craft copy for all primary marketing channels like email, website, and social media.
This blog teaches you all it takes to master the 4 Ss copywriting formula.
So now, it is up to you to apply the knowledge you have gained and craft the copy yourself.
So that’s it for now. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions related to the 4 Ss copywriting formula. Ask in the comment box or send me an email.