Do you Wordle?

In case you haven’t gotten swept up by the craze that took the world by storm last year, this super-simple word game is a fave among copywriters, word nerds and the competitive.

The rules are simple and it refreshes daily.

It’s not obscured by ads or nagging pop-ups.

Takes less time than a mini crossword.

You just have to guess what the word of the day is, and you get limited attempts.

Everybody is talking about it, playing it, and sharing their results, and as this brand messaging strategist (moi) gets back in the game (maternity leave is coming to a close on my end!) —

Here’s what this viral trend can teach us about consumer behaviour going into 2023…

… And what *you* should keep in mind as you’re writing copy and creating products this year:

1. Simplicity sells.

The more to-the-point, direct, and focused your message is, the better.

Wordle caught on because it doesn’t take a genius to understand what it is, *but* it still rewards critical thinking. The perfect balance!

We don’t need the bells and whistles and extra-fancy branding anymore. People are served solutions every single day, and our digital fatigue is real.

✏️ Takeaway:

• Invest time in creating stellar taglines, clarifying your brand promise and the benefits of your offerings without all the frills. Your customers will linger and come back for more if they don’t have to decode what you’re trying to say!

2. Scarcity still works — if it’s legit.

The most *addictive* part of Wordle isn’t that it’s a game you can keep on playing after you solve it, it’s that there’s a new word released every 24 hours.

Once you solve the word of the day, you have to wait till the next to play again.

✏️ Takeaway:

• If you’re selling a digital course or new offers this year, be REAL about the level of scarcity involved. We’ve all been part of programs where we thought we’d scooped up the *last* spot… Only to see new members trickling in after you. (And I end up feeling low key played, ya know?)
• The digital industry values integrity and honesty far more than ever before — respect your audience and be upfront about the space you have left to hold for them. Besides being real with your community, nobody wins when your energy levels aren’t in alignment with the output expected of you.

3. Leverage your existing audience to expand your reach.

Wordle started gaining traction with their highly shareable graphics that don’t reveal the word, but share how many attempts it took to get it right.

It’s ridiculously simple, and looks like this:

✏️ Takeaway:

• Your community of clients, program members, etc. are *always* rooting for you if they genuinely enjoy and care about what you offer! How can you make it easy for them to share your brand with others?
• Examples include: offering an affiliate program for your course, creating shareable social media graphics for new members of your program, offering “badges” for completing your courses, simply asking email subscribers to forward your email to someone who might find it helpful (hint hint!), starting a giveaway — the options are endless.

I sense a LOT of things shifting, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. But I’m curious to know…

What do YOU think is shifting in the online marketing world this year? Comment below and tell me!