The power, the force, the overwhelming urge that causes people to spread the word about your content comes from the consumers of the content themselves, and not from your copy.
Copy cannot create desire, it can only take the hopes, dreams, fears and desires that already exist in the hearts of a mass of others, and focus those already existing desires onto a particular piece of compelling content you hope to see go viral.
This is the blogger’s task: not to create desire—but to channel and direct it.
The above is an adaptation of the opening paragraph of Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz, which many consider to be the Copywriting Bible. The original text naturally refers to channeling mass desire to a product, and how an advertiser can never spend enough money to create desire; he can only take advantage of what’s already there.
When it comes to social media marketing, the same concept holds true for attracting attention and traffic as well. It’s all about the psychology of existing needs and desires, and finding a way to speak to them.
12 comments... add one
#1 Richard Hearne → 12.11.06 at 10:03 am
Brian
It’s curious that you link to a (really) long-copy piece here. I’d really appreciate your comments over on http://www.copyblogger.com/introducing-the-new-seo-book-sales-letter/ where there’s a lively discussion on the afficacy of long-copy.
Rgds
Richard
#2 Brian → 12.11.06 at 10:09 am Copyblogger
I link to that copy because it’s the only way to get the book, and the product is aimed at other copywriters so long copy is essential. ;)
I’ll head over to the other “debate” now.
#3 Chris P. → 12.11.06 at 10:28 am
Everyone who has the desire to be famous can put up a video on YouTube and talk about their cats, thus fast-tracking it to fame and fortune.
#4 Don Wilson → 12.11.06 at 10:57 am
Every “How-To” guide to internet marketing I’ve ever read speaks of “Niche Markets”, or finding a need and filling it. I haven’t heard it said quite like you just did, but it’s the same message.
You know, people don’t like to be sold but they like to buy. Show them a solution to their problem and they’ll buy it every time.
#5 vmunster → 12.11.06 at 1:56 pm
So how exactly do you create a desire for something someone knows they should buy/get, but don’t want to…
In other words, if you room gets dirty, you know you should clean it, but you don’t want to. So how can you effectively “market” to that person and persuade them to clean their room?
#6 Brian → 12.11.06 at 2:12 pm Copyblogger
>>So how exactly do you create a desire for something someone knows they should buy/get, but don’t want to…
You can’t.
#7 Amrit Hallan → 12.11.06 at 4:10 pm
That’s why through your blog you should talk to the readers, about the readers, even if you are telling something about yourself. I’ve seen some personal blogs, take for instance dooce.com, that have nothing quite valuable, but still draw lots of traffic only because so many people can relate to what’s being written over these blogs.
#8 Michelle Penny → 12.12.06 at 11:11 am
I agree with Amrit. My least read and commented posts are the ones which sound more like a textbook than personal thoughts, something I obviously try to avoid but don’t always manage to!!
#9 Brian → 12.12.06 at 11:20 am Copyblogger
It’s a fine line between getting personal with your readers, and wandering into self absorption. Too many people try to imitate Dooce and fail… blogs like that are not easy to replicate, and much harder to get rolling now that blogging is a much more crowded field.
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#11 Kenney Jacob → 10.04.07 at 4:07 am
I read somewhere that the next wave of internet optimisation is social media optimisation. More and more people are going to social book marking sites these days because the content is human filtered.
#12 James W. Clark → 11.11.07 at 8:39 am
I think some of you are missing the point. “The public will try anything again and again” if you present it to them in a different way. What Eugene Schwartz is telling you in his book is to exploit the desire that is out their already. The only way to do this is with your ad.
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