Writing well involves understanding your key audience and speaking in a language that resonates with them, while maintaining the integrity of your brand and delivering a message that aligns with company outcomes, over time. Writing well can be evaluated differently, but the audience (customers) and the end goal (conversions for your business, for example) should be the primary focus.
This summary examines a few features that writer and advertiser David Ogilvy would consider important when writing. For further reference on writing, a recommended reading list is provided below.
Using David Ogilvy's writing principles as a guide, here's how he would likely teach someone to write well:
1. Master the fundamentals
Ogilvy emphasised the importance of learning the basics:
2. Prioritise category research
It’s important to understand the subject matter you’re speaking on, and to have a hypothesis on what your audience would be interested in hearing. This comes from thorough preparation, including:
3. Focus on headlines
When writing, it’s often best to start with the 5 or 6 word headline. This should illustrate the key message you want to deliver to your target audience.
The majority of readers (over 80%) don’t read past the headline, so it's worth making sure it gets your point across.
Ogilvy stressed the critical nature of headlines, including saying:
4. Craft compelling copy
To create engaging content, Ogilvy advised:
5. Edit rigorously
Ogilvy emphasised the importance of editing:
6. Understand your audience
Ogilvy insisted on knowing the target reader. To do this effectively you should:
7. Embrace clarity and simplicity
Ogilvy advocated for clear, straightforward writing, which could include:
Additional resources
Reading and consuming well written content is a great way to develop one’s style of writing, and language repertoire. Many famous writers learnt from first replicating another writer's style and tone of voice, then developing their own.
A few books on writing include:
This resource, and any guidance within it, must not be relied on as legal advice. We recommend that you seek specific advice to deliver an outcome best suited to your situation.
Writing well involves understanding your key audience and speaking in a language that resonates with them, while maintaining the integrity of your brand and delivering a message that aligns with company outcomes, over time. Writing well can be evaluated differently, but the audience (customers) and the end goal (conversions for your business, for example) should be the primary focus.
This summary examines a few features that writer and advertiser David Ogilvy would consider important when writing. For further reference on writing, a recommended reading list is provided below.
Using David Ogilvy's writing principles as a guide, here's how he would likely teach someone to write well:
1. Master the fundamentals
Ogilvy emphasised the importance of learning the basics:
2. Prioritise category research
It’s important to understand the subject matter you’re speaking on, and to have a hypothesis on what your audience would be interested in hearing. This comes from thorough preparation, including:
3. Focus on headlines
When writing, it’s often best to start with the 5 or 6 word headline. This should illustrate the key message you want to deliver to your target audience.
The majority of readers (over 80%) don’t read past the headline, so it's worth making sure it gets your point across.
Ogilvy stressed the critical nature of headlines, including saying:
4. Craft compelling copy
To create engaging content, Ogilvy advised:
5. Edit rigorously
Ogilvy emphasised the importance of editing:
6. Understand your audience
Ogilvy insisted on knowing the target reader. To do this effectively you should:
7. Embrace clarity and simplicity
Ogilvy advocated for clear, straightforward writing, which could include:
Additional resources
Reading and consuming well written content is a great way to develop one’s style of writing, and language repertoire. Many famous writers learnt from first replicating another writer's style and tone of voice, then developing their own.
A few books on writing include:
This resource, and any guidance within it, must not be relied on as legal advice. We recommend that you seek specific advice to deliver an outcome best suited to your situation.
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