Power words are powerful because they trigger emotions and help you persuade with your words, thus allowing you to make people do what you want.
Yes, that’s true!
Do you want to get more people to click on your headline?
Want to get more shares on the blog post?
Want to boost email opt-in conversions?
Ultimately, do you want more sales and conversions?
I know your answer would be a big YES as an online business wonder. Who doesn’t?
Whether you want to get more clicks, conversions, shares, sales, etc. – whatever be your marketing goals, there’s one common thing that will work everywhere.
And that is … Power Words!!!
Have you heard the term “Power Words” ever before?
So in this blog post, I will dig deeper into what are power words, why every marketer needs to use them. Plus, I’ll also share 250 power words examples that you can use in your headlines, CTAs, email opt-in forms, etc.
Are you excited to find out powerful power words?
Let’s dive in right now.
What are Power Words and Why it Works?
Contents
- What are Power Words and Why it Works?
- 250+ Power Words to Trigger Emotions and Boost Conversion and Sales
- Power Words Examples
- Power Words in Headline
- Power Words in Product Names
- Power Words on Call to Action
- Power Words on Landing Pages
- Frequently Asked Question About Power Words
- What are some Power Words?
- What are Powerful Words?
- What is a Unique Word?
- What are Power Words for Customer Service?
- What are Power Words for Resume?
- What are Business Power Words?
- What are Power Words for Motivations?
- What are Positive Power Words?
- What are some Smart Marketing Words?
- What are Attention-Grabbing Words for Advertising?
- Conclusion
In simple words, Power Words are some powerful words that copywriters and marketers use to influence people to take action. They are actually powerful and work because power words mainly evoke an emotion in the user’s mind.
As a user, I bet that you already must be coming across various power words regularly like in social media ads, email newsletter CTA, etc. For Example – Signup Now!, Get Free Access! And many more.
Power words are highly persuasive, descriptive, and trigger a positive or negative emotion which leads users to take action. In short, you can describe power words as emotional words packed with persuasion.
And, You know What? These one or two words are enough to change the way you feel.
In the internet marketing world, where lots of marketers are chasing the audience’s attention, we see countless words each day. So, smart marketers leverage powerful words to stand out and make them feel something.
Usually, we use it to evoke a specific emotion that will motivate them to take action. It can be anything like anger, greed, scarcity, urgency, and curiosity.
There’s a popular quote –
To give you an idea of the importance of word choice, let me share a case study –
GoCardless, a debit supplier in the UK, tested two different variations of the CTA.
In one variation, they used “Request a demo” CTA and “Watch a demo” in another.
They ran the A/B test for 7 days.
The Result?
Replacing only one word led to more than double conversions. Bingo! “Watch a demo” driven 139% more conversions than “request a demo”.
Sounds interesting, right?
The main reason behind so much difference is simple. “Request a demo” draw an image of a complicated process and waiting for approval, whereas “watch a demo” seems quicker and straightforward. Isn’t it?
Who doesn’t want to go an easy way? Almost everyone wants it because it’s a human tendency.
Let me share one more story to realize the importance of word choice:
Ellen Langer, a social psychologist, conducted a simple experiment where the goal was to cut in line at a copy machine.
She tried 3 different variations of asking –
- “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the xerox machine?”
- “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the xerox machine, because I’m in rush?”
- “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the xerox machine, because I have to make copies?”
The Result?
In the first one, only 60% said OK, whereas in the second and third, 94% & 93% agreed respectively. Here, the trigger word “because” worked like a charm.
As you can notice that third variation doesn’t even provide any actual reason but still it worked.
One single word “because” boosted the effectiveness dramatically and surprisingly the “reason why” didn’t matter much.
Okay, now you’ve got an idea. Let’s jump to another section!
250+ Power Words to Trigger Emotions and Boost Conversion and Sales
Since now, you know what are power words and why they are powerful, here’s a list of 250+ words that evoke a specific emotion.
Moreover, I’ve grouped it into specific emotions like greed power words, curiosity-based power words, anger-specific power words, etc.
You have to choose words wisely according to which emotion fits there.
For instance, you might need to engender urgency or greedy emotion for a warm audience to make them buy. But for a cold audience where you just want people to click on your headline and grab attention, curiosity might be a great idea.
Also remember that it can also be a phrase instead of just a single word, just like “keywords”.
Before we dig further into power words, here are 5 of the most persuasive words –
- Free
- Instant
- Because
- Easy
- Guaranteed
You can use power words in headlines, product name/ descriptions, pop-ups, landing pages, buttons, testimonials, call to action, and so on.
Now, let’s explore further!
Power Words for Showing Greed
Some people are less greedy while others are more, but almost everyone is greedy. It is a human tendency. Aren’t you?
Who isn’t interested in saving money or making a profit?
These types of different words are mostly used on e-commerce websites.
Following power words will help you to trigger greed by showing the profit or sounding it more valuable –
- Cheap
- Last Chance
- Discount
- Save
- Giveaway
- Extra
- Don’t miss out
- Inexpensive
- Budget
- Affordable
- Cash
- Six-figure
- Whopping
- steal
- Gift
- Free
- Expires
- Sale
- Lucrative
- Bonus
- Reasonable
- Cash
- Profit
- Bargain
- Get More
- Up-sell
- Value
- Money-saving
- Monetize
- Prize
These types of power words are the best suitable for the sales pages and eCommerce sites to make people buy. Here’s an example from Myntra’s product catalogue page.
Curiosity Driven Power words
Curiosity is really a very powerful feeling. Once it rises, it needs to be satisfied like we satisfy hunger.
We can’t deny that curiosity plays a vital role in virality.
And I think, it is the main reason why the latest hot news goes viral as people have a strong desire to know what’s interesting or crazy happening in the world.
Adding curiosity to your headlines, email subject lines will make it irresistible. Here are some power word examples that will mix up curiosity in your headlines:
- Secret
- Uncover
- Insider
- Harness
- Discover
- Hidden
- Unveil
- Mysterious
- Ssshhh!!
- Myths
- Ridiculous
- Private
- Sealed
- Spoiler
- Elusive
- Private
- Untold
- little-Known
- Thought-provoking
- Forgotten
- unusual
- Ridiculous
- Controversial
- Reveals
- Proves
- Behind the scenes
- unbelievable
- dark
- eye-opening
- Hilarious
Curiosity words are relatively more helpful to grab attention. So, you can use it in headlines, subject lines, and the introduction part to get way more CTR (Click-Through Rates).
Look How Neil Patel cleverly mixed up curiosity in this headline –
Lust Words
There’s no surprise that lust is one of the core emotions that applies to both men and women.
Marketers don’t get behind to get benefit from it as well and maybe that’s the reason a beautiful woman or a handsome man is used for commercial of a product.
Lust usually refers to sexual desire but in marketing, it can be about anything with intensive craving which your power words will satisfy.
With the help of the following words, you can crank up lust emotions directly or indirectly –
- Sexy
- Lust
- Naked
- satisfy
- Nude
- pleasure
- dirty
- Excite
- Spicy
- mouthwatering
- sleazy
- sleeping
- delirious
- captivating
Again, here is an example:
- Sweaty
- Forbidden
- Sensual
- provocative
- seductive
- Lust
- Urge
- Naughty
- thrilling
- Lovely
- engaging
- exposed
- fascinating
- shameless
Fear/Scarcity Words
Many marketers leverage the fear of missing out or imply scarcity to boost their sales and conversions. And we can’t deny that fear is one of the greatest motivators.
You know what? Fear of missing out (also known as FOMO) is one of the main reasons that make social media so addictive. We repeatedly open social media to check out new posts from friends, news, mentions, comments, etc.
Let’s take another example, you might have come across various landing pages with timer and limited-time discounts. These types of timers engender the scarcity of missing out on that awesome deal.
Amplifying scarcity or little fear in your promo copy or headlines will dramatically boost conversions. Here are some power words to do so:
- Sale ends soon
- Only “x” Left
- Shocked
- toxic
- Mistake
- Danger
- Supplies running out
- Lost opportunity
- Caution
- Painful
- Toxic
- Fired
- poor
- nightmare
- Cringeworthy
- Victim
- Beware
- hack
- Toxic
- Deadly
- last Chance
- One-time offer
- Dark
- Scary
- Suck
- The price will increase in the next hour
- Today only
- only available here
- Mistake
- Played
From headlines to the sales pages, adding scarcity or fear works well everywhere. Especially on e-commerce websites, you can find plenty of powerful words showing the scarcity of products such as only 3 left, limited-time deals, only 4 hours left, and so on. This way, you don’t want to miss that deal.
Similarly, you can also insert fear in headlines, subheadings, etc.
Note that if you’re showing a problem, then, also promise an actionable solution.
Here’s an example from SocialMediaExaminer –
See, how they used the “dangerous” word to make their headline irresistible for new bloggers. Plus, they also promised a solution to make it even more clickable.
I also, add a countdown timer on the sales page of my digital product named “Bite-sized Content Vault for Digital Creators” to sprinkle scarcity.
Anger Words
I agree that anger is a negative emotion, but it is also very persuasive on the other hand.
Remember when you were angry last time, probably you took the decision immediately, Right? However, you shouldn’t!
But as a marketer, you can use it for your benefit. It is fine if directed at something else. And as a writer, sometimes we need to write about the wrong things happening in the industry and action should be taken.
Well, here are some words that trigger “anger” in the user’s mind –
- Annoying
- Scam
- Abuse
- Weak
- Victim
- No Good
- Bullshit
- Crooked
- Ravage
- Evil
- Payback
- Punish
- Worst
- Fear
- loser
- Rebel
- Furious
- Hated
- Dishonest
- Rude
- Corrupt
- Misleading
- B.S.
- Violate
- Broke
- Useless
- Pretentious
- Savage
- know it all
- Sneaky
With the help of the above anger words, you can stir up about what makes your prospect angry and come up with a solution to establish trust. Look at this Forbes headline –
Trust/Safety Words
Trust is the backbone of any form of marketing.
The audience will only invest time or money in you when they trust you. They are ensured that their money or time will be worth it.
For example, they believe that your product will actually solve their problems or your blog post will actually answer their query.
And that’s why many products or courses offer a money-back guarantee so that people feel safe about their investment.
By using the following power words, you can engender the feeling of safety in people –
- No-Risk
- Money-Back
- Refund
- Proven
- Guarantee
- Risk-Free
- Best-Selling
- Guaranteed
- Fool-Proof
- Recognized
- No obligation
- Recession-Proof
- Trusted By over “x” users
- Promise
- Sure-fire
- case-study
- Studies show
- cancel anytime
- Endorsed
- Protected
- Certified
- Approved
- Authority
- Beware
- Lifetime
- Genuine
- Worldwide
- Legitimate
- official
- Trustworthy
You can especially use these power words to write magnetic headlines or on checkout/sales pages to boost your conversions. Here’s an example from the One Funnel Away Challenge sales page –
Power Words Examples
Now that you already know various power words that trigger emotions and boost conversion rates, it’s time to dig deeper and see some real-life power word examples.
Therefore, now I’m going to show you real-life examples of how can you leverage power words in various places so that you can get more clarity about it.
For this one, we will take a specific example. Let’s assume that you have a website or course about blogging or related. Now, let’s see, how can you include power words in several places:-
Power Words in Headline
The headline is a very crucial part of content marketing. People first see only the headline, and they decide whether to click or not.
Whether in SERPs or social media, your headline needs to be stand-out to grab any attention. This is why you must spend more time crafting something that makes it more clickable.
Here are some examples of magnetic headlines packed with power words-
- My Dead Simple Secret to 100k Monthly Page Views (It’s not what you think!)
- The Two Most Important Words in Blogging – Persuasion and Copywriting
- 5 Powerful Ways to Monetize Your Blog Fast!
- The Unbeatable Guide to Getting Natural Backlinks to Your Blog
- The 17 Most Important SEO Tips for Higher Rankings
Power Words in Product Names
Does your product name sound boring?
You can spice it up with the power words. With a descriptive and attractive product name, you can win relatively more attention.
It especially applies to info products. Look at the following examples-
- The Blogging Mastery Course
- Viral Blogging 101: Blogging & Content Writing Masterclass
- Blogging to Freedom: Create your Independence with Blogging
- Five-Figure Niche Site
- SEO that Works
Power Words on Call to Action
Hand down, your call to action needs to be super persuasive to get the maximum conversion and sales.
Whether you want more sales, signups, or more shares, without a powerful call to action, you can’t expect better conversions because it is the decisive moment. So, we can’t afford to have a weak CTA.
Simply asking people to take a specific action with a generic CTA like “sign up” doesn’t work so well. So if you equip your CTA with power words, it will trigger emotions and will lead to significantly higher conversion rates.
Following are some examples of great CTA –
- Get Instant Access now!
- Give Me My FREE Copy!
- Save 30% – Join Today!
- Reserve Your Spot Today!
- Try for Free!
- Get Lifetime Access!
Power Words on Landing Pages
The landing page plays a vital role in marketing. Isn’t it?
The more power words you sprinkle on your landing page, the more effective it would be! However, you can do A/B testing to test different variations and find out what works better.
Look at the power words examples below used on effective landing pages –
- The Secret to Making Digital Content Creation Fun Without Being an Unproductively Busy Marketer is HERE
- Get Instant Access to the Bite-Size Content vault Now! (For a whopping once-in-lifetime offer of only $27)
- Become an Unstoppable Content Writing Machine!!!
- Learn How to Write Engaging Content FAST with 21 Writing Rules!
- Write Dazzling Blog Content Without Worrying About Laziness and Losing Focus
Frequently Asked Question About Power Words
What are some Power Words?
Secret, Cheap, Hidden, FREE, Discount, Deals, Sales, Coupon, Promo, Instant, Because, Easy, etc. are some power words. In this article, I have already shared 250+ power words.
What are Powerful Words?
Words that have got the power to trigger emotion and persuade other people to take creation actions are known as powerful words. Powerful words or power words are often referred to as trigger words as well.
What is a Unique Word?
According to Dictionary.com, Unique is defined as something that exists as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics. Thus, such words that are unusual words or usually have rare occurrences are called unique words.
What are Power Words for Customer Service?
These are some power words for customer service – Understand, Something, Willing, Free, Change, etc.
What are Power Words for Resume?
Team player, Achiever, Creative and Problem Solver, Strategic Thinker, Innovative, Result Driven, Specialized in, Responsible for, Communicative etc. are some power words for resume.
What are Business Power Words?
Accelerate, Accomplish, Effective, Authentic, Enthusiastic, Proficiency, Simplified, Unconditional, Negotiable, Outstanding, etc. are some power words for business.
What are Power Words for Motivations?
Success, Dream, Accomplishment, Satisfaction, Passive Income, Wealth, Opportunity, Passion, Motivation, Peace, Growth, Mindset, Power, Limitless, Mission, etc. are power words for motivations.
What are Positive Power Words?
Absolutely, Delightful, Celebrated, Approved, Believe, Accepted, Effective, Generous, Impressive, Jubilant, Legendary, Marvellous, Perfect, Remarkable, Meritorious, Phenomenal, Stunning, Terrific, Wholesome, etc. are positive power words.
What are some Smart Marketing Words?
FREE, Limited, Exclusive, Guaranteed, Get, Grab, Easy, Best, Because, Sale, Promise, Risk-free, etc. are some smart marketing words that you may use in your marketing campaigns.
What are Attention-Grabbing Words for Advertising?
These are some attention-grabbing power words for advertising – Hate, Sick and Tired, FREE, Checklist, Download, Get Access, Cheatsheet, Hacks, Secrets, Behind the scenes, Introducing, All-new etc.
Conclusion
You can save this massive list of power words and use it wherever it makes sense.
Keep in mind, these are not the only power words, they’re just some examples. In fact, any word can be powerful if it is evoking a specific emotion.
As a consumer, we encounter various power words on a daily basis, used by smart marketers. You can also look at other marketers how they use them efficiently to boost their conversions.
Now, it’s your turn. Leave a comment below to let me know which power word examples you like the most, and which power words you are going to use in your marketing campaigns?
I hope this helps! If you still have any questions, feel free to ask. I’ll try my best to help.
If you found this post helpful, please give it a share! 🙂
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