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10 classic copywriting quotes to inspire your content strategy 30 May 2024

Every copywriting strategy needs some added inspiration from time to time: a little wisdom to help keep your focus on developing impactful content. With so many emerging trends in the world of content writing, sometimes it helps to have some reminders about what it’s all for. To help with that, here’s a quick round-up of classic content quotes by some of the cleverest people from the world of online marketing, content marketing and copywriting.

1. “Content is anything that adds value to the reader’s life.” Avinash Kaushik

Does your marketing content offer something genuinely useful to your readers or is it all about your business? When you’re planning your copywriting strategy, start with the concerns and interests of your customers and build your approach around them. Seek out the issue which really matters to your customers – is it lack of time, a desire for a simpler life, or something else? Then create content which talks direct to these priorities. This is not only essential for building an effective copywriting, it’s also vital to keep in mind for content SEO, following on the Google March 2024 core update which targeted "unhelpful" content. (Found your content was penalised by the latest update? Take a look at this helpful guide on how to recover from Search Engine Journal)

2. “Content is the reason search began in the first place.” Lee Odden

This is a great statement and an important reminder that while things keep changing in search, good content retains its value. The quote also says something about the topsy-turvy way in which many companies apply their copywriting approach. Yes, SEO matters, but well written, informative content never goes out of date, unlike the ever-shifting criteria of search engine rankings. So while it’s important to keep up with changes in search, it’s just as important to maintain a consistent content tone of voice and copywriting strategy. As mentioned earlier, Google is increasingly focused on content that is relevant and useful. Design your copywriting approach around the kinds of questions your potential customers are asking and you’ll ensure that your content is of value.

3. “If we only talk about ourselves, we’ll never reach customers” Joe Pulizzi

This quote is a great little reminder about the importance of putting your clients – not yourself – first in your content and copywriting approach. While it may seem natural to write reams about how great your service or product is, you’re more likely to create the response you want by starting with your customers: their interests, concerns and needs. When planning your content, begin with thinking about what your customers need from your type of product or service. Keep those front of mind and you’ll be more likely to stay at the front of your clients’ minds too.

4. “If your stories are all about your products and services, that’s not storytelling. It’s a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger.” Jay Baer

Storytelling is the lifeblood of great content and a more powerful copywriting approach. Why just list features and benefits when you can create a story around your business that connects direct with the concerns of your customer? Look closer at any enduring brand and you’ll see that that’s exactly what it does. Like the quote says, explore ways in which you can broaden the story you’re telling about your business. How can make the story of your brand align with that of your customer? Think about the copywriting approaches that could help you achieve that.

5. “Authenticity, honesty, and personal voice underlie much of what’s successful on the web.” Rick Levine

If I had to choose one of the biggest trends in content right now, I’d have to name-check transparency. It’s so significant a change I think it’s more of a culture shift than a trend. Audiences increasingly want to connect with brands in a more authentic way. Transparent brands are ones that strive to be more open, or the companies that give their audience more of an insight into the way they work. In a world in which AI copywriting is increasingly in use, companies striving to be open and honest are those that will stand out. Keep in mind that recent research suggests that a notable proportion of people said they’d perceive a brand as impersonal if its copy didn’t feel as if it was written by a person.

6. “Context should be driving all your content.” Steve Haase

Wise words indeed. Great content keeps the customer at its core, but it’s also designed to match different contexts or marketing channels. Go beyond just re-using the same content across all your different marketing options. Rather than creating lots of additional marketing content, this means looking closely at how to repurpose your content in different ways, making sure that the style and message fits with each channel. I think this quote is also an important reminder about the wider value of context in copywriting. What’s the wider purpose of the content? Which goals have driven its development? Keeping these types of questions in mind will help avoid the pitfalls of content that lacks a purpose.

7. “Make the customer the hero of your story.” Ann Handley

It’s natural for a business to want to be the star of the show. It’s their marketing content, isn’t it? Actually, the real star is your customer and you roll out the red carpet by making the content all about them and their interests and concerns. By keeping the customer in mind you create content that solves their problems. You make it all about them, rather than you. Even when your content is directly about your business, it’s really about that individual. This means that every word is focused around reaching them and that your copywriting tone of voice is designed specifically for your customer.

8. “Content strategy is to copywriting as information architecture is to design.” Rachel Lovinger

Content is massive right now and that’s not going to change any time soon. But that’s not your cue to generate reams and reams of words without a plan! As this quote suggests, without a copywriting and content roadmap, you’re likely to get more than a little lost along the way. Avoid this by starting with a strategy and reviewing it as you go along.

9. “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; you just need to share your unique perspective on why the wheel is important.” Jon Ball

So true. While it can be tempting to work up an innovative copywriting approach for the sake of being innovative, this can prove counter-productive. Quirky content can end up working against you. Just find an angle that is special to you and that fits with the concerns of your customer, then share it in an interesting way.

10 “Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” Leo Burnett

A lot goes into creating marketing content that works. This quote reminds us to make things more simple and focus on keeping content readable and appealing. Don’t get tied up in being too clever or complex but don’t over-simplify your message either.

Need more copywriting inspiration?

While marketing keeps changing, certain principles always remain the same. Looking for more copywriting ideas to keep you content on the right track? There are plenty more on my blog. Prefer a conversation? Get in touch!