The power of language is truly remarkable. In every culture, it’s what binds us together and allows us to understand one another. But even more profoundly, through language we can impact the way other people think about certain topics and communicate how we feel.
That makes the use of language in marketing extremely powerful.
Finding your brand’s voice
Before we take a look at some common magic marketing words, let’s talk about your brand’s voice.
Your audience’s first impressions are made within 0.05 seconds of seeing your brand. After the initial impression is made, (according to Facebook) you then have just 2 seconds of someone’s attention before they scroll by.
Therefore, a good proposition needs to be short, snappy, and straight to the point.
You also need to consider your target audience and how they like to be spoken to. For example, if you’re an edgy brand targeting Gen Zs, the use of occasional profanity may work wonders for catching someone’s attention.
The brand Who Gives A Crap gives a perfect example of how to use profanity in your marketing. Currently taking the world by storm with their eco toilet roll, everyone is talking about their colourful messaging and clever uses of profanity puns. There’s no question that this brand is standing out from the pack because of their ability to deliver an important message through humour.
We’re not suggesting effin’ and jeffin’ your way through your next marketing campaign, but by being ballsy and thinking outside of the box, you may turn far more heads. If you’re just not that kind of brand, that’s absolutely fine. You can still grab attention by really thinking about the language you use and utilising those few seconds to draw someone in.
Why use magic marketing words?
There are certain words thrown around in the marketing world that are considered *magic*. Sadly, there are no guarantees that using these words will result in a sale. But you can bet your bottom dollar that by using clever wording you’ll be more likely to grab someone’s ever dwindling attention.
When you have the opportunity advertise your business to a potential customer, be it on Instagram, Google SERP or in a magazine, the language you use is arguably the most important thing to consider.
With endless marketing channels to communicate with your audience, it’s now not a case of how to get in front of people, but how to get them to really listen to what you have to say. This is where your choice of language is crucial.
Common Magic Marketing Words to Use
You/Your
The possessive pronouns ‘you’ and ‘your’ are two of the most powerful words that you can use in your marketing campaigns. Why? Because it immediately engages the reader and makes them feel like you are speaking directly to them (have a look back in this article to see it in action!).
[Personal Name]
Similar to the above words, by using the reader’s own name you will add a touch of personalisation that is likely to stop them from scrolling by. The use of personalisation is easily implemented and highly recommended in email marketing campaigns.
Discover
The word ‘discover’ is another great word to use in your marketing campaigns. Unlike its much blander synonym, ‘find’, the word ‘discover’ subtly implies that there is something hidden or unknown that the reader will uncover by taking action.
Free
It’s simple but effective.
Let’s be honest, everyone loves free stuff, so it naturally catches people’s attention. The word ‘free’ has a strong psychological effect on people in today’s society, as it triggers their desire to get something for nothing. Of course, you’re not expected to give away your products or services for free, but offering a free trial or sample can be a great way to entice people to try your brand out.
Guaranteed
This word instils a sense of confidence in potential customers and makes them feel like they are making a safe purchase. Before you go ahead and make incredible guarantees, you should be confident that you can follow up with such claims. For example, “Guaranteed Results in 2 Weeks” may need to come with a clause “*when used in conjunction with ”.
Exclusive
If you can offer something that is exclusive, meaning it is not available to everyone, then people will be more likely to want it. This could be anything from a VIP experience to a limited-edition product.
Secret
The word ‘secret’ is fantastic to use in your marketing campaigns because it works as a powerful trigger, driving people’s curiosity. By having a secret, you can nurture anticipation and generate hype around your product or service.
Save (X)%
It’s a classic but it still works. People love to save money, so if you can offer a discount or sale on your product, this will likely catch people’s attention.
No strings attached
If you can offer something with no strings attached, meaning there are no hidden fees or catches, people will be more likely to take advantage of the offer. This simple choice of words is familiar to almost everyone and shows your brand’s integrity.
