How to Boost Conversion Rates with Your Writing

Catchy headlines. Attention-grabbing opening lines. And persuasive calls to action. 

It’s all great. It all helps turn content consumers into paying customers. But it’s not enough.

Writing for conversions is more than A+B+C. It’s about understanding your audience and presenting information in a way that drives them to take action. 

Extensive research from Unbounce, a Vancouver-based marketing software company, analyzed 57 million landing page conversions and found that the way marketers write has a significant impact on conversion rates.

From readability to copy length, their 2024 Conversion Benchmarking Report provides data-driven insights into how to craft content that converts. 

At Hypelocal, we were inspired by these findings. As a results-driven marketing agency, we’re always looking for ways our content can drive more action and increase conversions for our clients.

As such, here are our top takeaways for crafting content that truly converts.

1. Simplicity Sells: Write at a 5th to 7th Grade Reading Level

Complex prose might seem impressive, but it’s not effective for conversions. 

The report from Unbounce reveals that landing pages written at a 5th to 7th-grade level convert at 11.1%, which is:

• 56% higher than pages written at an 8th or 9th-grade level.
• More than double the conversion rate of pages with professional-level writing, which convert at only 5.3%.

Simpler copy is easier to understand and faster for readers to process.

In a digital world where attention spans are shrinking, clear and concise messaging keeps users engaged and focused on a call-to-action.

2. The Cost of Complexity: Avoid Difficult Words

Going hand-in-hand with simple words is avoiding difficult ones.

The report shows a 24.3% negative correlation between the use of difficult words (three or more syllables) and conversion rates. That means the more challenging your copy is to read, the less likely it is to convert.

Just as simple copy is easy to understand, difficult words slow down comprehension and create a barrier for the reader. Users are more likely to abandon a page when the language feels cumbersome or overly technical.

Actionable Tip: Take a look at your landing pages and identify unnecessarily complex words. Some of our favourite simple replacements are listed below:

• Utilize → Use
• Leverage → Apply
• Commence → Begin
• Facilitate → Help
• Optimize → Improve
• Implement → Do
• Ascertain → Find out
• Expedite → Speed up
• Consolidate → Combine
• Articulate → Explain

Remember: Simplicity equals clarity, and clarity drives action.

3. Shorter Copy. Stronger Results

While long-form content has its place—especially for SEO articles—brevity is of the utmost importance for most landing pages. 

The Unbounce report highlights an 18.6% negative correlation between word count and conversion rates, indicating that lengthy copy can hurt performance.

Online readers skim. Long paragraphs or excessive details can overwhelm users, causing them to leave a site before consuming everything a marketer wants them to take in. Short, impactful copy ensures your message is clear and your call-to-action stands out.

Actionable Tip: Break your content into bite-sized sections with subheadings, bullet points, concise paragraphs, and—why not?—actionable tips. 

Prioritize the most important information “above the fold” or in the opening few sentences.

4. Call-to-Actions Should Speak Directly to Your Audience

Your CTA is the culmination of your copywriting efforts. 

According to the Conversion Benchmarking Report, CTAs that are clear, specific, and aligned with user intent significantly outperform generic alternatives.

This works because a clear and specific CTA eliminates ambiguity, directly guiding the user toward the desired action, while alignment with user intent ensures the CTA resonates with their needs and motivations.

Actionable Tip: Use active, benefit-driven language in your CTAs. Instead of focusing on what you want the user to do, frame it around what they’ll gain by clicking.

• "Sign Up Now" → "Get Exclusive Content"
• "Download the Guide" → "Discover Proven Tips"
• "Start Your Free Trial" → "Experience [Big Benefit] Risk-Free"

5. Tailor Copy for Mobile Users

With 83% of landing page visits happening on mobile, optimizing your copy for smaller screens is non-negotiable. 

Mobile users have even shorter attention spans than the general online reader, and they’re even faster at abandoning cluttered or overly verbose pages.

As such, mobile users need concise, scannable content to stay engaged. Long blocks of text or unnecessary fluff can deter conversions.

Actionable Tip: Use shorter headlines, reduce filler text, and ensure your most compelling points are immediately visible. Test how your copy appears on various devices to ensure a seamless experience.

6. There is a Place for Complexity

In the opening of this article, we said that writing for conversions is more than a simple equation; that it takes an understanding of the audience you’re trying to reach and presenting content in a way that prompts their action. 

While simplicity is generally the rule, there are exceptions. 

The report found that slightly more complex language can perform better for companies in the financial services industry. This is likely because a level of sophistication or authority is expected in this field. And that lesson can be applied to similar industries. 

Actionable Tip: It all comes back to knowing your industry and understanding your audience. If your industry requires technical language, balance complexity with clarity. Provide definitions or examples where needed to maintain trust without alienating users.

7. Reduce Reading Time to Boost Engagement

The report also highlights a 19.4% negative correlation between longer reading times and lower conversion rates. 

In other words, pages with lengthy content or dense paragraphs deter users from completing actions.

Just as simple words reduce the time it takes for a reader to process information, shorter reading times improve the reader's flow. It keeps visitors engaged and guides them toward conversion points more efficiently.

Actionable Tip: Use UX formatting techniques to guide readers, such as bolded text for emphasis, whitespace for readability, and structured layouts that move the reader through the content and bring their direct attention to your CTA.

8. Test and Refine Your Copy

Even the most thoughtfully written copy can benefit from testing. 

A/B testing allows you to experiment with headlines, hero copy, CTAs, and value propositions to see what resonates best with your audience.

Actionable Tip: Test variations in tone, length, and structure. 

For example, compare conversational versus formal styles, or experiment with short versus long CTAs.

How to Write for Conversions

All eight of these takeaways share one common theme: creating a seamless and user-friendly experience for potential customers. 

By simplifying your language, prioritizing readability, and crafting messages that resonate with your audience, you can dramatically boost your conversion rates through copy. 

Start applying these strategies to your landing pages today, and remember to continually test, analyze, and refine your approach. 

Great marketing copy isn’t just about choosing the right words—it’s about delivering real results.