Why specificity is the holy grail of good copywriting (and 4 ways to use it)
Quick question: what type of bikini was in that old song?
You know the one. It lives rent-free in everyone's heads.
It's the itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini.
There's a reason you remember this exact bikini description — it's VERY SPECIFIC.
And specificity is the holy grail of good storytelling.
It's what makes a story memorable. It's what makes your reader say OMG I LOVE THEM or OMG I NEED THAT.
The good news: it's a technique you can use anywhere — website, emails, socials. Anywhere you want to share a killer story or make a strong connection with your reader.
Here are 4 easy ways to add specificity to your copy.
Specificity Booster #1: Zone in on a tiny detail
You don't need the whole backstory. Drop people into the moment — what specific things can you see, hear, taste, or smell?
🥱 "He wore an unusual outfit."
😎 "He had tiny meow-ing cats on his pants. And they were at least 2 sizes too small."
Specificity Booster #2: Be a drama queen
Dramatic, OTT descriptions of a specific action or emotion up the fun factor and make your writing more memorable.
🥱 "My Uber was taking ages."
😎 "I'd aged four emotional decades by the time my Uber FINALLY made an appearance."
Specificity Booster #3: Get concrete with the benefits
Be clear about the real benefit your product or service offers. Opt for concrete, visual words over abstract words — they're easier to understand and have a stronger impact.
(Visual words get stored in the brain twice — once as imagery and once as verbal data — making them twice as memorable!)
🥱 "The future of hydration is here."
😎 "Finally, a drink bottle that doesn't leak in the car."
Specificity Booster #4: Paint a super-relatable picture
Relatability makes your reader feel like you get them. Bonus points for a well-placed pop-culture reference.
🥱 "At the end of a long, busy week the last thing you feel like doing is cooking dinner…"
😎 "It's 6.17pm on Friday. You've mentally clocked out, your bra has physically clocked out, and you're eyef*cking your bottle of pinot noir like it's the final rose on The Bachelor. That dusty broccoli in the fridge isn't getting another look and you know it…"
Now try it yourself
Here's a little challenge.
Write a small list of 5–10 ultra-specific things you either LOVE or HATE.
(And no, you won't be calling it your 'fun facts' list. That makes it 50% less fun. Try something like I'm obsessed with or before we work together you should know… or my love to hate list — literally anything is better than 'fun facts' 🙃)
Here, I'll go first:
I loathe hanging sheets on the washing line
I will absolutely judge a restaurant by its font choices before I judge the food
I MUST sniff fresh stationery because to me it smells like heaven
I spend way too much money on cute socks
I can never spell 'binoculars' right the first go
I firmly believe Coco Pops is the most elite breakfast cereal
The goal is to showcase your unique personality and what makes you you.
Anyone can say "I love coffee and my family." But if you "would take a bullet for your brown-eyed baby boy and treat your morning oat latte like your own personal religion" — your reader feels something more. Your words stop being surface-level.
And getting beneath the surface is pretty key for building meaningful connections with people.
So get practising!
Or rather me write your copy for you?