How to stress test your copy
At So Contented, we don’t just want to write good copy. We want you to know exactly how to distinguish good copy from copy that’s just ‘meh’. Because no one is getting anywhere with copy that’s just ‘fine’. We’re on a mission to change that.
That’s why we created our copy stress test so that you can measure every piece against your own high standards and know you’re putting your best foot forward. You’ll simply score the content, and based on the score, you’ll know whether there’s some more work to be done or whether you’re ready to hit publish. Hopefully, this will be your way to teach your team exactly what ‘good’ copy looks like for your brand.
We thought we’d walk you through a glimpse of what we’ve cooked up.
If you want to get your hands on your own copy of the stress test, just email hello@socontented.com with the subject line, ‘Stress Test’.
Big picture
Can we say this?
This is the time to check whether everything you’re saying is factually accurate, or the time to send it through any regs teams you might have. There’s nothing worse than putting a fabulous piece of content together, only to have your regs team (who are only doing their job) ruin the flow because you’re actually not allowed to say that thing.
Particularly for you working within regulated industries, this is going to be a big one. One wrong statement could be disastrous, so it’s a good idea to make friends with your regs teams. If you can get one of them in on some planning or strategic meetings, even better!
On-brand
Should we say this?
Because look, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Look at all the brands out there that put stuff out that’s perfectly legal to say, but the damage it has on their brand reputation is enormous.
After all, ‘brand’ is just another word for ‘expectations’. When someone doesn’t meet our expectations, our opinions of them change. It’s human nature. This one can be a little harder to teach to newbies in your team. It’s a time when brand values are absolutely crucial, and you can absolutely teach new team members about brand values. You can teach them about your key messages - the things you talk about again and again.
When you come to this point in the stress test, you can ask yourself questions like ‘Does this align with what we believe in?’ or ‘Does this align with what our customers expect from us?’
Buyer behaviour
What do we want people to do off the back of this?
This is more mechanical, and while they may seem small, you want these nailed down, or the rest of the content can end up pointless.
Can I clearly see what the reader will take away from this content?
Are any call-to-actions giving the reader clear directions?
Is this piece of content the right fit for where our buyers or customers will be in their journey with us?
Best practice
How have we said this, and does it align with correct spelling, grammar and copywriting best practice?
This one is especially relevant for those of you using AI to help you produce copy (we listen, and we don’t judge). But this is when we’re getting into the details. Spelling or grammar mistakes can change people’s perceptions of a brand. Random Americanised spellings when you’re a British brand? Ouch.
This is also the chance to make sure you’re all using the same conventions for naming, numbers, dates and other little grammar things that give your piece finesse.
Oops, did we ruin it?
Did we accidentally get way too many people to look at this and end up completely butchering the whole thing?
Finally, the saying, ‘too many cooks spoil a broth,’ can be absolutely true when it comes to content.
It’s one of the reasons we designed this stress test in the first place. We hope it’ll be the hymn sheet everyone can sing off. Because when Tracey from finance and Steve from regs start weighing in - without the right parameters - your message can get completely lost. It’s not to say they don’t have valid opinions, but this test helps you keep Tracey and Steve in their lane. We want Steve to check the regs, but we don’t necessarily need him weighing in on the messaging at this juncture.
Want to get your hands on our stress test? Email hello@socontented.com with the subject line ‘Stress Test’, and take your content from ‘meh’ to magnificent.
