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An introduction is the backbone of your copy. A weak introduction is a one-way ticket for readers out of your copy. Discover the importance of introductions in copywriting and learn how to master that skill to produce compelling copy.

The importance and effectiveness of introductions are underestimated. As copywriters, we hear and read a lot about mastering the skill of writing a compelling headline that can hook the reader and excite them to access your copy and read along. But, little do we realize any emphasis on the power of introductions in copywriting. Every article/blog that you write MUST have an introductory paragraph, and if your copy lacks this essential part, you’ll probably lose readers and, consequently, potential customers. When the reader feels confused about the copy he/she is reading, they’ll simply move on to the next option they have that has the answers they’re looking for. 

As the name implies, an introduction’s purpose is to introduce the subject of your copy, and it comes directly after your copy’s headline. The reader will be able to build their first impression of what they’re reading and expecting in the following sections. Your introductions better leave a good impression. 

A good introduction should:

• Make the readers expect the value of your copy.
• Hook the readers and excite them to continue reading.
• Include a statement summarizing the topic of your writing.

A good introduction should NOT:

• Be a summary of the text because you want them to keep reading.
• Be too long because the reader might feel bored and stop reading.
• Be a repetition of the title because the reader wants to know more about it.

Whether you’re writing a blog post, a newsletter, or any other content marketing copy, you must exert more effort in writing your introduction. Why is an introduction that important?

It organizes your copy and is simply the next thing after your catchy headline that can keep your readers hooked on your copy and want to read more. If your introduction is weak, boring, or very generic, this can turn off the readers, which affects search engine optimization, social networks, and, eventually, your business. On the contrary, a great introduction is one that can leave a positive impact on the reader. 

To be honest, writing an introduction is not an easy job. Not everyone is skillful enough to write a compelling introduction that can keep readers hooked on a copy. However, if you’re a copywriter that strives to improve your copywriting skills and the quality of your copies, as professional copywriters, we advise you to keep practicing. Practice is key. In this blog, you’ll find the necessary tips you need to apply to nail your introduction. And if you’re a business owner that struggles with producing and writing content, outsourcing is your way out of this responsibility. Hire a professional copywriter that is able to understand your buyer persona, your business tone, and your product/service and produce quality copy and compelling introductions.

Start writing your introduction at the end 

You heard it right. While the introduction is the very first paragraph of your copy after the title directly, it’s not necessarily that you start writing it in the beginning. The next time you’re writing a copy, try to skip writing the introduction and start with the other headings. After you’re done with the research and drafting your copy, you are now backed up with more information to introduce the topic better. 

Note: If this tip didn’t work for you, that’s totally fine! It’s not for everyone. Experiment and choose a writing strategy that makes you comfortable.

Understand your audience

One of the most important and irreplaceable copywriting tips is to know your target. Make sure you are fully aware of who is the audience you’re writing to, what are their pain points, and in what tone you can best talk to them. This will enable you to write an impactful introduction that addresses their needs. In order to make this easier, specifying a buyer persona is what you need. It will help you imagine the person in front of you and how you communicate, the terminologies you use that best suit their level of knowledge, and the language that resonates with them. Understanding your audience and buyer persona involves being aware of their pain points because you want to show them you have the solution for their problems in the introduction, but don’t mention the solution yet, or else they’ll stop reading once they get what they want.

Include the three essential parts of an introduction  

The hook

We’ve discussed in a previous blog the importance of hooking readers and tips on how to keep them hungry to read more. The hook starts in the heading and continues to the introduction and the rest of your copy. The introduction’s hook is usually the first statement, and it has to be catchy enough to convince the target reader to continue reading. It could be a question, a quote, a statistic, or an anecdote that is related to the overall topic you’re writing about.

The context

After hooking your target with a catchy headline and an opening statement in your introduction, it’s essential to start supplying them with more information and details about the topic of your copy. This context should be a couple of statements that will increase the reader’s interest in knowing more about the topic and can be presented in bullet points to keep your intro clear and easy to read through. The context should reflect the importance of your topic and how it will benefit the reader. For example, in our introduction, we listed what an introduction should and should not include and the importance of introductions.

The thesis statement

Finish off your introduction with a thesis statement that emphasizes the topic of the blog in a clear and straightforward manner. A thesis statement is the ending of your introduction that prepares readers for the next sections of your copy. For example, the thesis statement in this blog is “In this blog, you’ll find the necessary tips you need to apply to nail your introduction.” Here you are now, reading through these tips! 

Use “you” statements

Using “you” in your writing can help readers feel more connected to the copy and motivate them to engage with it. When you feel someone has specifically written something for you, you feel valued, and the topic will resonate more with you. For example, if you’re writing a blog post for mothers, you don’t have to address them as “a mother” in your writing. Instead of saying, “Mothers face several societal challenges.” replace it with, “As a mother, you face several societal challenges.”

Make it brief

No one wants to read a two-page introduction. The longer your introduction is, the more likely readers will drop reading it. Eliminate any unnecessary words or details and keep it short, clean, and straight to the point. There is no specific word count for your introduction, but the smaller your copy, the smaller your introduction should be. For example, if your copy has 1000 words, 500 words in your introduction is too much! 

If you want your copy to stand out and be compelling and hooking, make sure your intros are strong enough and well-written to make your readers excited to know more. Follow these tips, keep practicing, and subscribe to our weekly blog posts for more copywriting tips.

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