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5 Tried-and-True Formulas to Take FREE Google Ads

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Lisa Smith
Last updated: April 16, 2020

Copywriting
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Copywriting is simply a type of writing used to get an audience to act, but as any mistakes with Google Ads.
copywriter knows, achieving that is not so simple. As there are a number of factors
that in uence whether a reader takes action, there exists a plethora of copywriting
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formulas to help you cover all your bases. So which one should you use?

Di erent formulas work for di erent goals, content types, and writing styles. To
help you choose the best one for you, I’ve gone straight to the experts. Read on to
get the ve copywriting formulas they use, why they work, and examples of each. Sign up to get our top tips
and tricks weekly!

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Simple, e ective copywriting from our ad copy blog post.  

What makes a good copywriting formula?

According to freelance copywriter Bob Bly, the best copywriting formulas have a
few things in common: They are easy to remember and to master, they can help
new and experienced copywriters alike to quickly produce e ective copy, and they
also have successful track records—in some cases, decades-long successful track
records.

So here’s a look at some of the most common copywriting formulas out there—and
why you should consider them.
Copywriting formula #1: The 4Cs
According to the 4Cs formula, compelling copywriting has four characteristics:
clear, concise, compelling, and credible. Let’s break that down.

Clear: Your copy must be understood by everyone. As Bly puts it, you can make
your writing clearer by using small words, short sentences, headers, and bullet
points, but true clarity starts with understanding your audience and your goals. 

Concise: This is conveying information in the fewest possible words.

Compelling: Copy must also be interesting enough for your audience to actually
read. The key? Focusing on the reader and their needs, problems, and desires.

Credible: Finally, your copy should be credible. Publish whitepapers, thought

leadership articles, and customer testimonials. These content types can still
communicate key brand messages while also surmounting reader skepticism.

Wealthsimple, an investment rm, uses credible copywriting to earn reader trust.

Copywriting formula #2: Problem, agitate,

solution (PAS)
According to Maciej Duszynski, content writer at resume advice sites Zety and
ResumeLab, this is an “old school” copywriting formula in which the writer
introduces a problem the reader experiences, uses emotional language to hammer
the issue home, and then o ers a solution.

“When used correctly, the problem, agitate, solution copywriting formula results in
the reader’s full attention,” said Michael Tomaszewski, another writer at Zety. 

“They'll be dying to nd out what the solution is, and when you nally o er it—and
throw in a clear, concise, compelling and credible call to action— you'll have
generated great-quality leads, I guarantee,” he added.

In fact, Benjamin Houy, founder of and self-study French course French Together,
said PAS is his favorite copywriting formula because it’s easy for even novice
copywriters to use and “has the ability to quickly turn prospects' problems into
powerful copy.”

“The idea is to focus on a key problem prospects face, mention it with vivid
examples, talk about it some more and nally o er a solution.”  

The following French Together newsletter email uses this copywriting formula and
has helped generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue for the French
course:
One point worth noting: Corina Leslie, PR manager for email validation company
ZeroBounce, said that while she uses the PAS formula in emails and social media
and it continues to yield results, she nevertheless suspects “it’s become a bit too
popular among marketers, so people are less likely to react to it.” 

Copywriting formula #3: Bridge after bridge

As an alternative, Leslie suggested the Bridge After Bridge formula, which starts on
a positive, aspirational note rather than the negative one in PAS. 

“It invites the reader to picture paradise—and how to get there with your help,” she
said. 

In order to use Bridge After Bridge, Leslie said you have to know the audience’s
needs and wants and describe this in the rst line. Then, you use examples to
illustrate how other consumers have reached this ideal state—and how the reader
can get there, too.

“Back up your claim by listing tangible bene ts,” she added. “Finally, end with a
powerful, irresistible call to action.” 

The following email, which uses the Bridge After Bridge formula, is what Leslie
described as their “best-performing email ever”:

Shelby Rogers, content marketing manager at web experience platform Solodev,

agreed Bridge After Bridge works because it establishes a connection between the
writer and reader, which, in turn, becomes a foot in the door for the rest of the
copy.

“After making that connection, you show a solution … of what would be appealing
to readers. Spend the bridge showing how your solution gets them from Point A to
Point B,” she said. “If you’ve done your customer research before writing content,
your Before section will grab your audience’s attention with a relevant pain point.”

Rogers said Solodev also uses Before After Bridge in its CMS comparison guide e-
books because one of the most consistent complaints they hear from prospects
and new customers is that the CMS landscape is cluttered and confusing.

“We then o ered a solution—an easier way to comparison shop—and used the
ending to show a bridge to those comparisons,” said Rogers. “We parallel the
formula in our landing pages for the e-book downloads as well, and we’ve found
success with it. Our comparison guides remain the highest-downloaded e-book
o erings on our website.”

Copywriting formula #4: Attention, interest,

desire, action (AIDA)
Bly said that AIDA—Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action—is one of the oldest
copywriting formulas. Like the formulas above, it calls on the writer to: get the
reader’s attention with persuasive writing; attract the reader’s interest in the
related product or service; make that reader desire the product or service; and, in
the end, call on the reader to take action.

Bly called it one of his favorite formulas and said he has used it for decades.

If you’re looking for a good example of this copywriting formula, look no further
than tech giant Apple, which uses AIDA throughout its website to encourage
consumers to join—and expand their presence in—its product ecosystem.

Copywriting formula #5: Storytelling

While perhaps a less formal formula per se, Lou Ho man, CEO of PR rm The
Ho man Agency, said his vote is for the anecdote because it’s a tool employed by
journalists in their stories, like this one. 

Billy Bross, consultant to digital agency Linchpin Media, also suggested what he
called “stories by default” as a potential alternative to formulas. He uses “heavily
story-based” emails to his list ve times weekly.

“Many people pay lip service to the power of stories in copywriting, but few
actually use them. It's more an afterthought, ‘Oh, I'll just sprinkle in a story later,’”
said Bross. “I thought to myself, ‘If stories work so well, why not use them by
default? And then only remove them if there's a good reason to.’”

SEO Blogger Rob Powell of the Rob Powell Biz Blog also advocated for storytelling—
provided those stories include character, con ict, and resolution. 
 “We’ve been telling each other stories for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s part
of our evolution. And that’s why storytelling is so e ective as a copywriting
technique,” he said. “In the copy that you use on a landing page, the character
could be your customer. The con ict would be the problem that she faces. And the
resolution would be your product."

But Powell added that storytelling can also be about the company or the person
selling the product.  

“In this scenario, the character is you, the con ict is the years of struggle and
frustration that you went through. And the resolution is the aha moment when it
all clicked for you...This is a formula that you see on many sales and about pages.
It’s a very e ective way of positioning yourself as the solution to your customer’s
problems.”

Powell mentioned that you can see this strategy in use from brands like Toms
Shoes. Founder Blake Mycoskie’s bio says, “While traveling in Argentina in 2006,
Blake witnessed the hardships faced by children growing up without shoes. His
solution to the problem was simple, yet revolutionary: to create a for-pro t
business that was sustainable and not reliant on donations. Blake's vision soon
turned into the simple business idea that provided the powerful foundation for
Toms.”

Our
Alice Corner, content writer at online infographic maker Solutions
Venngage, How
said to take this We Help Pricing Blog
a step further by embracing snark to sell your product in stories.

“For example, when I'm sharing an article I've written on social, I would say
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something like, ‘Women in tech don't usually occupy leadership positions. But at
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Venngage, they do,’” she said. “Obviously this doesn't work for every business, but if
the tone is right for the brand it can be super e ective.”
89

Lean on these copywriting formulas when you

156
need them
Copywriters might not always need formulas, but it’s always good to expand your Find out if you're making
repertoire. These formulas may be especially useful for new writers looking to
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enhance or even validate their style.

“With experience, you'll notice that your copy ows in a natural way and is in line GET GRADED TODAY

with some (or most) actual formulas simply because you focus it on the readers'