I've been copywriting since 2011, and there's one thing people ask me about again and again.
It's not the big stuff like storytelling or brand voice. Nope. It's whether they need to include hyphens in phrases like 'in-store'.
So, let's sort this out once and for all.
When to use hyphens
Let's start with compound adjectives. That's when you use two or more words together to describe something. If they come before the noun, hyphenate them:
"State-of-the-art technology" ✓
"Technology that is state of the art" ✗ (no hyphens needed after the noun)
But, why do we do this? Hyphens are there to make your meaning clear. Consider:
"Small business owner" (Are you a small person who owns a business?)
"Small-business owner" (Oh, you own a small business. Got it!)
Some more examples:
Face-to-face meeting (but: 'we met face to face')
My six-year-old nephew (but: 'my nephew is six years old')
The work is covered by a 10-year guarantee (but: 'the work is guaranteed for 10 years')
Family-owned business (but: ‘the business is family owned’)
Well-known artist
Cutting-edge science
Grey-haired man
New-in womenswear (but: 'what's new in womenswear?')
Mid-morning coffee
High-quality content
And the one that seems to cause the most confusion:
In-store bakery (but: 'you'll find our bakery in store', and never: instore)
But...
Next-level hyphens
Not every phrase needs a hyphen. If you're combining 'very' or an adverb ending in -ly with your adjective, you don't need a hyphen.
Here are a few examples:
Beautifully designed website
Carefully curated collection
Freshly baked cookies
Expertly crafted mosaic
Very fine silver
Why? Hyphens aren't needed to clarify our meaning here – it's obvious that the two words are working together.
And you don't need to add a hyphen when you're using two adjectives that are working independently:
Big blue balloon
Delicious butter biscuits
Fast noisy train
Sweet ripe oranges
Heavy metal door
Still not sure?
Ask yourself: could my sentence be misread without a hyphen? If so, it's best to add one. And if you're still in doubt – Google it. Copywriters do it all the time!
Need someone to check the small details like punctuation? Or focus on bigger stuff like tone of voice and brand positioning?
I can help with that! Why not get in touch?