What is Copywriting?
Let’s break down what copywriting is and what a copywriter can offer your brand or business.
When I tell people I work as a full-time copywriter, one response I often get is, “Oh, are you writing a book?”
While writing a book is always on my to-do list, most of what a copywriter handles is different than the pop-culture image of a writer.
Similarly, when clients reach out to inquire about my services, they aren’t always sure what to expect from a copywriter.
Is a copywriter a journalist? An author? An editor? Somewhere in between, or maybe everything at once?
To help clear up some confusion, here’s a quick guide to what copywriting is and what a copywriter can provide your business and brand.
What is Copywriting?
Before you reach out to hire a copywriter, it’s good to know what copywriting is.
Copywriting is the art of producing copy for someone else’s business. In short, copywriting is the art of creating copy (or text) used by a brand or business to promote or sell their product or service through copy.
Images and videos are essential for engaging people, but they may not know what to do with what they are looking at without any added context.
That’s where copywriting comes in. A copywriter (coming up next!) can craft text so that readers know what they are looking at, why it is there, and how they are supposed to interact with it.
Copywriting exists in many forms:
- Emails
- Blog Posts
- Press Releases
- Audio and Video Scripts
- Websites
- Video Copy
- Call-To-Action Text
- Social Media Copy
It’s important to note that copywriting is not just about writing and doesn’t only consist of words: it also includes images and videos. A copywriter’s job is to produce engaging copy for other people who need a product or service but may be unfamiliar with it.
Why Would I Need a Copywriting?
For most businesses, copywriting is essential for engagement and conversion.
Engagement: copywriting is about capturing people’s attention and holding it. To do this, a copy needs to be engaging — lively and exciting but not so long that readers get bored or distracted by other content on the page.
Conversion: copywriting has a direct impact on whether customers are willing to purchase something from you. If the copy isn’t persuasive enough, people may not buy your product or service.
There are many reasons someone might need copywriting:
- You may be starting an online business that has no content or website yet
- You may want to improve your copy for SEO purposes
- You may need a copywriter to help communicate with customers
The bottom line: if you’re looking for a way to engage and sell more of what your business offers, it’s time to bring in the copywriters!
What is a Copywriter?
If copywriting is the art of bringing textual context to your brand or business, the copywriter is the artist who wields the brush.
In short, they are the wordsmiths of marketing. They are professional writers who are more than just writers. Copywriters are trained and experienced marketing professionals who wear many hats. On any given day with any given client, copywriters may be:
SEO Writers: copywriting for search engine optimization and ranking
Content Writers: writing copy to fill the gaps of a website or blog post for engagement and conversion
Email Writers: crafting engaging emails that are personalized and relevant for brands or businesses to extend their reach and land sales
Press Writers: creating content about your business, product, service, or event to promote it or announce updates and news
Video Script Writers: writing copy that will be played before, during, and after videos
Social Media Content Writers: creating content for platforms like Facebook or Twitter that encourages a reaction or interaction
If copywriting is the art of creating copy for another business, it follows that copywriters can be found in many different fields.
Copywriting is not just copywriting words: copywriters also use images and videos to engage readers, so a copywriter’s job involves more than just writing text — they need graphic design skills too!
Copywriters are often entrepreneurs. They are self-employed copywriters who work with other businesses to produce copy for them. Other copywriters may be employed by marketing agencies and firms, working on various projects at any given time.
The Benefits of Hiring a Copywriter
Here’s what you get when you hire a copywriter:
Engaging Copy: An interesting piece of content is more likely to be shared with friends, liked, and followed. It’s copywriting that sells!
An Expert with SEO: A copywriter can help you make your website rank higher in search engine results pages by using keywords well.
Personalized Content: Social media content is excellent for engaging with potential customers on platforms like Facebook or Twitter, but it also needs to be relevant to the business. A copywriter can help with that!
More Leads: Great copy increases the number of people interested in your product or service and converts them into customers. More leads mean more sales — it’s as simple as that.
A Brand Partner: copywriters have a deep understanding of branding. They can help you create copy that will communicate your message to the world authentically and compellingly.
A Marketing Professional: copywriting is not just about words. Copywriters know how to use images, videos, and other forms of media too! Their goal is to see you grow and succeed with content that works.
Give A Copywriter a Shot
In a copywriter’s hands, words become hooks and lines. They can make the mundane exciting or capture someone’s imagination with just one sentence.
If your brand or business is feeling the crunch in the content department and doesn’t have the time or energy to invest in writing, it may be time to reach out to a copywriter!
