A power words list. Why on earth would you need that?

When it comes to marketing, you need a way to demonstrate that your offer or product transcends everyone else’s. Many marketers overlook copywriting as the one critical piece of the puzzle.

Even more of them overlook the power of a single word.

Believe it or not, changing just one word in your copy can mean the difference between a conversion and a lost opportunity. This is true whether you’re writing call-to-action phrases or refining your email copywriting.

That’s why we’re exploring this insanely long power words list today and what they can mean for your marketing campaigns.

What Is a Power Word?

A power word is a word that evokes emotion, inspires your audience, catches readers’ attention, or conveys energy or motion — or all of the above. It’s a special word that, when used in the appropriate context, elevates your marketing campaign to another level.

That sounds a little overblown, doesn’t it? But it’s true.

Marketers have experimented with power words for decades, finding new ways to use them for maximum conversion rates. We can benefit from their research today by testing power words on our calls to action, headlines, sales pages, landing pages, and more.

Just remember that power words — also called strong words — only work when they’re used in the right context.

Why Are Power or Strong Words Important for Your Business Marketing Efforts?

The latest research suggests that people don’t always know why they make specific choices. They have a preference, but they can’t put it into words.

You might have experienced this yourself. A friend asks you to taste one glass of wine and then the other. She asks which one you prefer.

You point to the second glass. She asks why.

You stare at her blankly. You know you liked the second wine, but you can’t articulate the reason behind your preference.

Even more amazingly, you might make a different choice on a different date. Perhaps your palate has changed, or maybe you’ve just eaten a different appetizer. Marketing is just as much art as science, and power words can help tip the scale by appealing to subconscious choice.

Your target customer won’t read one of your calls to action and think, “Hey, that’s a great use of a power word!” But subconsciously, he or she might make the decision to convert based on that word.

Having a power words list handy sure sounds like a good thing now, right?

Power Words Communicate More Specifically Than Regular Words

Many power words are used because of their specificity. Instead of saying that something is “great,” for instance, you could supplement a power word that communicates something more precise to the reader.

“Great” could mean anything. Is it beautiful? Delicious? Elite? Healthy? Life-changing?

You get the picture.

Power Words Can Evoke Strong Emotions

Similarly, power words allow you to play on your readers’ emotions. You want them to have a visceral response to your copywriting.

Think about television, books, and movies. Have you ever encountered a story that fell emotionally flat? There was conflict, tension, and good characterization, but you just didn’t feel anything.

Contrast that with a story that makes you cry. Big difference, right?

Strong Words Trigger People’s Curiosity

You can also use power words to ignite curiosity. If people want to know more, they’ll click. That’s a good rule of thumb to follow in all marketing.

It’s kind of like the room in an old house that’s locked up tight. You have to know what’s behind that door. Sating curiosity is one of the most primal psychological impulses among human beings.

How to Use Power Words in Your Headlines or Subheadlines

Headline writing is one of the most important marketing techniques to master. Furthermore, inserting examples from this power words list into your headlines and subheadlines can make even a boring example much more effective.

For instance, let’s say you’re creating a top bar for your website. You want people to sign up for a free account.

Pretty good, right? But let’s figure out why.

I could write that headline completely differently. It might look like this:

Tell your customers about a sale or discount with a Hello Bar Like This. Get Your Account Today.

There’s nothing wrong with that headline, per se, but the absence of power words makes it a little underwhelming.

The actual headline uses words like “announce” instead of “tell” and “grab” instead of “get.” It also uses the amazing power word “free.”

If you want your headlines to sing, follow these simple rules:

• Use Words That Evoke Curiosity
• Use Words That Evoke Savagery or Anger and Greed
• Use Words That Make It Impossible Not to Click on Your Headlines

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How to use Power Words in Your Pop Ups and Landing Pages

Pop ups and landing pages are powerful marketing assets in their own right, but consumers are used to seeing them by now. You need to add that extra “wow” factor if you want more conversions. Using a power words list will help in both cases.

What are Pop Ups?

A pop up is any window or overlay that appears in front of a specific website and invites user interaction. A slider pop up appears to slide in from the top, bottom, right, or left of the screen, while an exit popup appears when a user tries to leave the website.

You might use an exit intent popup, for instance, to capture email addresses or announce a short-term sale. Slider pop ups are ideal for making users aware of flash sales and free shipping deals.

Regardless pop ups should use power words if you want them to convert. Let’s look at two examples to see how they work.

Here’s the first exit pop up:

Here, we have a pretty typical exit intent. It’s not very exciting, though. Do you feel compelled to click?

I don’t.

Now, let’s look at a different variation on the same exit intent.

We’ve jazzed it up a little, right? It’s far more intriguing thanks to a few well-placed power words.

You’ll have to read the rest of the article to pinpoint them.

Use Power Words That Invoke Exclusivity, Authority, Excitement, Trust and Prestige

The idea behind a landing page or pop up is to get your reader’s attention immediately. That means conveying exclusivity or authority, building excitement or trust, and communicating prestige.

In other words, you want people to immediately react to the offer you’re giving and feel impelled to act.

A/B Test Power Words on All Pop Ups

Power words don’t work in all situations and at all times. That’s where A/B testing comes in.

Use Hello Bar to test variations on your headlines, body copy, and calls to action automatically. We’ll let you know which one “won.”

Tips to use Power Words on Calls to Action and Buttons

The same rules apply to call-to-action buttons when it comes to our power words list. Here, though, you want people to click immediately.

Use mind-blowing power words that evoke excitement, simplicity, trust, scarcity, and prestige. Focus your readers on the specific benefit using a power word that makes the person want to achieve something right away.

Tips to Use Power Words in Your Email Subject Lines

The best email subject lines use power words that inspire curiosity. You want as many of your subscribers to open that email as possible, so they need to feel like there’s a secret to learn.

You can also use power words that evoke excitement, capitalize on consumer greed, or promise to help your reader feel complete. If appropriate, don’t hesitate to throw in a dash of humor.

Tips to Use Power Words on Product Names

Naming a product is always a lengthy process. You need just the right name to convey what the product does and to exercise creativity.

Use power words that create excitement, trust, prestige, scarcity, and lust based on what your product does and your target audience.

Tips to Use Strong Words For Sales

Sales pages are yet another area in which power words can prove extremely effective.

Use Words That Evoke Anger in Some Cases

Anger and rage can be channeled positively into more sales. When you ignite anger, you inspire people to take action.

For instance, let’s say that you’re selling an online course on marketing techniques. You could start your sales page with a headline like this:

Still using the same old marketing techniques from 1999? Lame!

That headline is bound to induce anger. People will want to rebut your claim that their old-school practices are lame.

But they’ll also read on because with anger comes curiosity. Your reader thinks, “Hey, that’s not fair! But what if he knows something I don’t?”

Therein lies your advantage.

Use Words That Evoke Trust, Sloth, Simplicity and Greed

These types of power words, which I’ll explain in more detail later, can also work well on sales pages. Trust power words help customers feel more comfortable in your hands, while sloth power words communicate that you don’t want to waste your prospects’ time.

If your product or service can simplify the user’s life, use that. The same goes for saving money. Greed can go a long way.

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You wanted an example of a subheadline with lots of power words, right. You got it. ↑↑↑

Hello Bar allows you to not only use power words to increase conversions, but also to test them against one another. You never know whether users will respond better to one word over another, even if they’re closely related, so you need a comprehensive marketing tool to help you decide.

Best of all, you can create your free account today. Start pushing top bars, sliders, and exit popups live today so you can capture more information from your visitors, advertise special products, and let customers know about special discounts.

229+ Power Words List to Insanely Increase Conversions

Now, we come to the list of all lists, the power words you’ve been waiting for. I’ve categorized them based on the type of emotion they evoke, so you might see some words listed twice. They simply fall into two or more categories.

Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive. If you find a power word on this list that you love, but you think there might be something better, pull out your handy-dandy thesaurus. There’s no need to limit your creativity!

Fear and Anger Power Words List

You don’t want your prospective customers to feel angry or afraid. Or do you?

Even negative emotions can contribute to conversions. When people are scared, they want solutions to drive the fear away. When they’re angry, they want to settle themselves down.

Following are some of the best power words to evoke fear and anger among your audience.

• Absurd
• Agonizing
• Alarming
• Avoid
• Awkward
• Cataclysmic
• Catastrophe
• Cringeworthy
• Dangerous
• Deadly
• Delirious
• Demoralizing
• Devastating
• Disgusting
• Embarrassing
• Epidemic
• Exposed
• Failure
• Foolish
• Heartbreaking
• Horribly
• Horrifying
• Hostile
• Lame
• Lunatic
• Mediocre
• Painful
• Revolting
• Rookie
• Ruthless
• Sadly
• Savage
• Shameful
• Shocking
• Strange
• Terrifying
• Traumatized
• Unpopular
• Unusual
• Useless
• Vicious
• Violent
• Weird
• Worst

That’s a lot, right? Fear and anger are among the most common emotions. They’re also universal. When we get angry or afraid, we behave in predictable ways, so you can use that knowledge in your content marketing.

Trust Power Words List

Nobody trusts your business right off the bat. It’s like putting two strangers into a room and asking them to take bullets for each other. Doesn’t happen.

You build trust over time, but you can use power words to speed up the process. Trust signals, such as social proof, can add even more credibility to your marketing messages.

Following are some of the best power words when you want to engender trust among your target audience.

• Absolute
• Authentic
• Authority
• Bold
• Brilliant
• Captivate
• Completely
• Conclusive
• Detailed
• Elite
• Ensured
• FailProof
• Genius
• Genuine
• Guaranteed
• Honest
• Impenetrable
• Legitimate
• Lifetime
• Master
• Memorable
• Meticulous
• Moneyback
• Perfect
• Professional
• Promise
• Proven
• Reliable
• Respected
• Studies
• Tested
• Ultimate

Vanity, Prestige, Beauty, Lust, and Power Words List

Have you ever heard the phrase “buttering someone up”? That’s exactly what you’re doing with these power words. You’re making your audience feel beautiful, prestigious, adored, lusted after, and powerful. Sometimes, all it takes is one word.

You can overdo it if you’re not careful. Focus on using one or two power words in this category to avoid coming across as smarmy in your marketing messages. Subtle cues often work best on this type of audience.

• Adorable
• Breathtaking
• Brilliant
• Charming
• Delicious
• Delightful
• Elite
• Expensive
• Extraordinary
• Glamorous
• Gorgeous
• Greatness
• Heavenly
• Lovely
• Luxurious
• Memorable
• Mouthwatering
• Naughty
• Perfect
• Powerful
• Priceless
• Provocative
• Rare
• Remarkable
• Seductive
• Sexy
• Sinful
• Special
• Spectacular
• Spellbinding
• Stunning
• Unforgettable
• Unique
• Wonderful

Notice that these words are all positive. They’re feel-good words that you hear in television commercials every day. They’re also all over the internet, so feel free to seek out synonyms to widen your power word vocabulary.

Sloth and Simplicity Power Words List

Sloth — a.k.a. Laziness — isn’t a bad thing. We all have priorities in life. You might be super efficient and productive when it comes to your business, but you leave dirty clothes all over your bedroom floor and you don’t do the dishes until you run out.

We all have areas in our lives in which we tend to procrastinate. If your product appeals to that demographic, you’ll want to use words that evoke sloth and simplicity. In other words, “Check out this product/service. You won’t have to worry about diminished productivity again.”

You can also use these words to enchant people who don’t want a difficult-to-use product or service. Maybe they’re not tech-savvy, for instance, or perhaps they don’t have time to learn a complex system.

Here are a few of the best choices.

• All-inclusive
• Basic
• Cheat
• CheatSheet
• Child’s play
• Downloadable
• Efficient
• Effortless
• Essential
• Formula
• Freebie
• Guiltfree
• Hack
• Jumpstart
• Kickstart
• Lazy
• Life-changing
• Magic
• Minimalist
• Miracle
• Painless
• Practical
• Printable
• Quickstart
• Speedy
• Stupid-simple
• Tricks
• Tweaks
• Uncomplicated

Don’t be afraid to combine words in creative ways. Notice the power word “stupid-simple.” It sounds funny to the ear, but it’s nonetheless evocative. People will know what it means even if they’ve never encountered those two words together before.

Gravity Power Words List

You know what gravity is, right? Gravity power words create an inexorable pull from your audience to your product or service.

The goal here is to make your offer so appealing that people gravitate toward it. They might not know why, but they have to have it.

Here are a few gravity power words to try out.

• Breathtaking
• Devastating
• Dominate
• Elite
• Epic
• Explosive
• Extraordinary
• Extremely
• Fierce
• Gargantuan
• Gigantic
• Huge
• Impressive
• Incredible
• Intense
• Legendary
• Massive
• Master
• Powerful
• Revolutionary
• Savage
• Turbocharge
• Ultimate
• Unbelievable
• Unlimited
• Unstoppable

Just remember: overusing these power words can dilute their…well, power. If you’re constantly raving about your product using hyperbolic phrasing, your audience will tune you out.

Curiosity and Humor Power Words List

This is the fun section. Generating curiosity and causing your audience to laugh can make a huge difference in your conversion rates. You want people to stop and either smile or quirk and eyebrow.

Try some of these power words on for size.

• Awkward
• Breaking
• Confession
• Crazy
• Diagnosed
• Emergency
• Exposed
• Forbidden
• Funniest
• Hidden
• Hilarious
• Insane
• Intriguing
• Life-changing
• Little-known
• Revolutionary
• Ridiculous
• SneakPeek
• Stealthy
• Surprising
• Tempting
• Uncensored
• Uncontrollable
• Unconventional
• Uncovered
• Unleashed
• Unseen
• Untapped

Greed and Scarcity Strong Words List

People want what they think they can’t have. They’re also often mired in scarcity — they constantly think they don’t have enough.

You can play on those insecurities with power words in marketing. Show them that they can have what they want at a reasonable price.

Plug a few of these power words into your marketing copy when you want to tap into greed and scarcity.

• Affordable
• Bargain
• Bonus
• Budget
• Cheap
• Dominate
• Double
• Economical
• Efficient
• Extremely
• Free
• Immediately
• Increase
• Lucrative
• Now
• Perfect
• Steal
• Today
• Unlimited

Excitement and Positive Power Words List

Pumping people up is a great way to help them convert at faster rates. You want to get them excited and motivated, kind of like a rock star does just before a concert.

Again, don’t go overboard. You don’t want to string together six power words — the effects don’t multiply. Consider the best of these power words for your next marketing campaign.

• Amazing
• Astonishing
• Awesome
• Breathtaking
• Brilliant
• Epic
• Exciting
• Explosive
• Fascinating
• Heartwarming
• Incredible
• Insane
• Inspiring
• Legendary
• Life-changing
• Powerful
• Profound
• Revolutionary
• Thrilling
• Unstoppable

Conclusion

There you have it. I’ve shared more than 229 power words and showed you exactly how to use them. Now, it’s time for you to put them in your marketing copy.

Feel free to print out this list so you always have it handy. That way, when you’re scrounging for a word, there’s inspiration at your fingertips.

What’s your favorite power word and why?