What Is Copywriting?
Did you get through all of Mad Men and still wonder, what do they mean by copy?
We get this question a lot. Honestly, at some point in every copywriter’s past, they also wondered, what exactly is copywriting?
For those of us who have turned it into a fulfilling career, copywriting is in its most basic form writing persuasive and converting copy. But it’s not that simple.
Between understanding what consumers want, Google algorithms, and getting the message across in a way that’s consistent with the brand voice – it’s a science. Furthermore, it requires constant attention to industry standards, research, and fortitude to guide clients to the right messaging for their businesses.
The Definition Of Copywriting
A quick glimpse into your inbox and physical mailbox will give you several examples of copywriting. From neighborhood civic association underwriter letters to a yoga studio’s emails offering a free first class, copy is everywhere.
To define it at a high level, copywriting is the act of writing persuasive and promotional marketing materials. Moreover, copywriting’s goal is to motivate readers to take some form of action. This includes calls to action like: make a purchase, click on a link, make a donation, or schedule a discovery call.
Need a copywriter in your life to ensure your website, newsletters, blogs, email marketing, and print materials are working for your business? Reach out and find out how we can take the stress of writing off your plate with effective converting copy.
Copyright Vs Copywriting
Due to them being homophones, copyright is often confused with copywriting. But it’s important to realize they are two different things.
Copyright is a legal term that protects original works of intellectual property. Whereas copywriting is a marketing tool used to convert readers into paying customers.
To put it in pop culture terms, have you ever been listening to the radio and realized a song sounds awfully familiar to you? There’s a good chance this new-to-you song is sampled from an old favorite. It happens a lot and isn’t a huge issue. Unless, of course, this up and coming musician didn’t get permission to use said sample. Then, there would be a copyright issue.
The same can be said for website designs, works of fine art, literature, movie scripts, and more.
Copywriting can also risk copyright infringement if protected words or phrases are used. Furthermore, copywriters can certainly write about copyright law. But the two are entirely different terms from two different industries.
Top 5 Questions About Copywriting
We get a lot of questions about copywriting. Here are the most common:
- Who writes copy?
- What does a copywriter do?
- Who needs copywriting?
- What’s the difference between a copywriter and a content writer?
- What’s the purpose of copy?
1. Who Writes Copy?
A copywriter.
While there isn’t a certification requirement to call oneself a copywriter, there are more than a few qualities that define a quality copywriter. A successful copywriter will write in your voice, relate to your audience, and will help your business organically grow in recognition and profitability.
2. What Does A Copywriter Do?
The first stage in writing copy is getting to know the client. Then, we must get to know their target market. It’s more than saying, I think women between the ages of 20 and 30 would like this product.
For instance, let’s look at a female entrepreneur who has created a course to help female business owners grow their businesses. We get to know the client, the tone they want to convey, their favorite phrases, their no-go words or phrases, and so much more. This is how we define the client’s brand voice.
Their target market identifies as female business owners ready to scale their business, but don’t have an effective plan in place.
The target audience may feel overwhelmed in what feels like a man’s world. They know their product and service inside and out. But they don’t have the knowledge or confidence to take the next step. However, taking that next step prematurely could severely damage their business. These are all examples of the target market’s pain points.
Once we dial in the client and their target market, we define the objective. Do we want them to schedule a discovery call? Download a lead magnet? Sign up for a class?
Then, we take everything we’ve learned through mindful research and start typing away. We strategically write copy that:
- Help the target audience find their business
- Increase the business’s Google ranking
- Address the target audience’s needs and wants
- Effectively communicate how your brand is the solution they need in their lives
- Build credibility to show the readers they can trust the business
Plus, we have stringent processes to ensure top quality every time.
3. Who Needs Copywriting?
Any person, business, or organization that wants to reach a larger audience and turn readers into paying customers or donors needs a copywriter.
Many times, business owners (especially new ones) try to take on more tasks than they can handle. What’s worse is when business owners attempt to become experts in fields that are out of their wheelhouse. As I’ve seen with so many companies, this leads to legal, financial, and marketing blunders!
For instance, unless you’re a doctor, you shouldn’t give medical advice. The same goes for those without law degrees giving legal advice. Not only would the research take up all the time you should be dedicating to your business, you still won’t become an expert. And if you’ve been handling all your business’s finances and taxes solo, you’re likely missing out on huge tax breaks and receiving unfortunate letters from the IRS.
DIYing your marketing and copywriting won’t land you in the same hot water as spewing legal advice, but it can severely affect your business. Because unless you’re ready to dedicate ALL of your time to learning the tricks of the trade, your copy won’t be nearly as effective as your business deserves.
Did you know that poor quality copy can actually turn off potential customers? Yep. And what about the new customers you need to help your business really grow?
Without a steadfast plan and the know-how, your marketing can easily fall flat. That’s why business owners like you hire copywriters like us. Plus, your time is a lot more effective when you do what you do best.
4. What’s the Difference Between A Copywriter And A Content Writer?
This is one of those tricky vs maybe not-so-tricky concepts. Essentially, a content writer provides information. And a copywriter writes persuasive and converting copy to make sales.
However, content writing is a form of copywriting. Because while the goal of the content may be informative, you can still include persuasive language and calls to action to encourage readers to take action.
For example, content writing can include informational pages on a website. This can include blog posts, product/service pages, landing pages, and more. But with each of these formats, sly plugs to contact the business for more information have them teetering on the edge of content and copy.
Want to learn more about how content and copy can help your business gain the traction it needs? Schedule a discovery call today! (See what I did there?)
5. What’s The Purpose Of Copy?
The goal, purpose, and objective of copy is to encourage your readers to take action. And, in turn, help your business grow.
Moreover, we reach a business’s target audience and encourage them to take action that will convert them from readers into paying customers. Because, as many business owners can tell you, simply sharing the product or service you offer isn’t always enough to make sales.
Instead, us copywriters dive deep into the why?
Why does this product or service matter?
Why would a consumer or fellow business purchase your product or service?
Why is your product or service the solution your target market has been searching for?
And then we ask why again. And again. And again.
This process allows us to empathize, sympathize, and relate to your readers on a personal level. And this is how copy can effectively make the difference between a struggling business and a thriving business.
Looking For Your Next Copywriter?
If you’re looking for your next copywriter, you need to know what to look for. A professional with experience in your industry, with proven processes, good reviews, and overall reliability.
But you don’t have to look very far, because FocusCopy is the solution you need. With nearly 100 clients under our belt in every industry you can imagine, we’ve got the experience and know-how your marketing needs.
Ready to grab a coffee and talk copy? Reach out today to schedule a discovery call and let’s chat business.
