Content Writer

what is copywriting

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.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
what to look for when hiring content writers

What To Look For When Hiring Content Writers

How do you know what to look for when hiring content writers? 

You’re a small business owner, which means you must justify every cent of your budget. 

As a writer, it’s my job to delve into my creative superpowers. However, as a business owner, I also understand why it’s hard to know what to look for when hiring creative professionals. 

Writers tend to have resumes longer than a page and freelance work sprinkled into their experience. Because writers are part of the creative process, it’s also tough to put an exact number on a project’s progress (psst…I have a tip for this, too). But there’s more to finding a quality content writer than a lengthy resume. 

If you’re looking for a content writing professional, I suggest using these 7 qualities of a content writer before you make the big hire.

Don’t want to spend too much time and money sifting through what to look for when hiring content writers? FocusCopy is the jolt you need to get your copy going.

What Is A Content Writer? 

Content writers use a combination of creativity and optimization to ensure their writing hits the right goals and ranks higher on search engines. The first part is key to making your copy flow, while the second is crucial for your online presence. 

A content writer will work with you on your website to improve your search engine optimization (SEO), allowing more people to see your content. A quality content writer will usually work on creating consistent content rather than focusing on a one-and-done project.

Why Does Your Business Need To Hire A Content Writer? 

Copywriter, content writer, editor, and simply writer are all used interchangeably. But they don’t truly mean the same thing. A copywriter can tell a story or sell a product or service by engaging their audience and converting them with persuasive writing. A content writer focuses more on educational information and other technical aspects to get your content in front of your target audience faster.

Need a team of writers to take on your copywriting and content writing? FocusCopy is here to help.

7 Traits To Look For When Hiring A Content Writer 

There are many content writers out there, but here’s how you find the right one.

1. A Willingness To Learn

One of my favorite quotes by Albert Einstein is,

“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.”

Albert Einstein

Even after years of formal education and work experience, there’s always an opportunity to learn something new. Your content writer should be open and excited to learn about your business, operations, and anything else you can teach them as a professional in your field. Ongoing education creates room for better writing and a stronger connection between yourself and your content writer. A content writer who strives to quickly pick up your company’s purpose and turn those thoughts into words will be your winner.

2. Pride Is In Their Work, Not Their Voice

A good question to ask during your interview is, “How would you describe your personal writing style?”

Then ask, “How would you describe your writing style when it comes to your clients?”

It’s important to ask both because every writer has their own style, but their professional success depends on the work they produce – not typically their own voice. 

It helps to ask for a portfolio or samples of their writing before you decide who to hire. Their sample work will give you a good idea of what level of quality you can expect and insight into how they write across several industries. How you measure the quality of their work leads us to our next tip.

3. Substantial Documentation For Quality & SEO

Your content writer should track SEO content over time to ensure that it’s producing tangible results. A method to track quality content writing is done by measuring key performance indicators (KPIs). This can look like your:

  • Audience reach
  • Sales made
  • Amount of increased referrals
  • Number of calls to action made
  • Increased visits to your location or website

Don’t worry about using another business’s KPIs to determine your success. Find one appropriate for your company and use it to measure your success moving forward. 

As you see an increase or decline in results, have open conversations often with your content writer. Open communication while working together lets them adjust their methods when needed to reach your collective goals. 

4. Knowledge Of What Your Target Audience Needs & Wants

You wouldn’t consult with a dermatologist for heart surgery. You might talk to a general surgeon, but it’s ideal to speak to someone who specializes in what YOU need. 

Apply similar logic to find a content writer. If your audience expects a professional tone and industry-heavy jargon, find someone who understands this or has worked in your industry before. 

You can also find a content writer who can adapt their writing to the proper audience. Their writing should have the ability to connect with the reader and relate to them in a way that feels natural. Writers with various work backgrounds, agency work, public relations, and other marketing creation will most likely have the experience necessary to give you what you need. 

SEO is still important, but plugging in content that ranks higher on Google can feel robotic. A good writer will weave in optimized content while making the copy easy to digest.

5. Ability To Take Constructive Feedback Without Wilting

Have you ever heard that creatives can be sensitive?

While we all have our moments, we’re professionals like anyone else. Being able to take criticism and apply it with care is definitely one of the qualities of a content writer. This is important because then, you can talk to them freely and as an expert in your field about:

  • Making necessary changes
  • Rewording
  • Refreshing headlines and subheadings
  • Tweaking their style
  • Any glaring issues

Their process for feedback should be swift and responsive, so you can get back on track without missing a beat. If you need edits and revisions quickly, set this expectation beforehand so it’s clear moving forward.

6. Flawless Processes In Place

When searching for what to look for when hiring content writers, find one that is process-driven and organized. If you’re curious about this process, ask!

Processes will include things like:

  • Research and discovery
  • Outlining content
  • Writing
  • Editing
  • Proofreading
  • Revisions

How they take on projects will give you a better idea of how they prefer to collaborate, communicate, and adhere to deadlines. This is a fantastic way to find out if they’re the right fit for the writing you need. 

7. Quality Proofreading

Yes, proofreading is mentioned above, but I’m repeating it because it’s THAT important.

The last thing you want is to hire a content writer who doesn’t check their work! No matter how many keywords appear or how relevant the content is, it doesn’t mean a thing if it has a ton of errors. Trust me. Your customers will notice if the writing itself looks sloppy. Your ideal content writer will check and double-check to ensure everything looks good before hitting ‘SEND’. 

Turn To FocusCopy For All Your Content Writing Needs

As a business owner, time isn’t usually on your side. Your decisions need to be intelligent and quick (but not too quick). 

If you’re looking for content writers with loads of experience, FocusCopy is the team assembled for you – ready when you are. Skip out on printing resumes and scheduling interviews, and fast forward to the part where your writing is taken care of for you. Why search for what to look for when hiring content writers when a team with all the qualities you need already exists?

Save yourself the search and schedule a call with the FocusCopy team today.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
does your business need a content writer

Does Your Business Need A Content Writer?

Business owners of all kinds deal with a variety of problems. You cut checks for employees, talk to clients daily, and go the extra mile to keep yourself on top of numerous responsibilities. But how are your marketing efforts going?

Even the most composed CEOs feel overwhelmed when it comes to writing for their business. On occasion, you may even feel burnt out and uninspired. Writing is time-consuming, tedious, and takes plenty of planning. You might truly feel you don’t have the time for it all! And that’s okay. There’s an entire world of content writers out there to help you define your goals and put your ideas into action.

There are blog posts, press releases, email marketing campaigns, and countless other forms of communication – it’s a lot to deal with. But hiring a content writer for your business could be the key to elevating your success (without blowing your budget). 

We’ll walk you through topics to think about when making your decision to hire a content writer. We’ll even show you what to look out for before you hire one!

Need a content writer for your business? Schedule a chat.

8 Signs Your Business Needs To Hire A Content Writer

You might think content writers won’t be available to handle your small to medium-sized business. Actually, content writers are more likely to work with private companies rather than public ones. This is great news for you because there are plenty of writers out there who are interested in earning your business. 

Especially if you experience any of the following…

1. Writing Anything Is Your Worst Nightmare

Many of our clients say they simply hate writing. And that’s okay! We get it. We love what we do. But even we aren’t always best friends with writing every second of the day. Some of the most common concerns our clients face before passing on their writing projects include:

  • No time to write
  • Don’t know how to write well
  • Obsessed with perfection
  • Afraid someone else’s writing won’t sound like them

Sound like you? It’s time to talk to the copy baristas at FocusCopy to solve the problem.

2. Your Backlog Of Projects Keeps Piling Up

Again, time is typically the enemy here. We have clients who are so focused on their end goal, they lose track of their initial writing tasks. You’re probably too busy and falling behind on important deadlines. Or (even worse) you find yourself making promises to clients without a plan for your deliverables in place. None of this means you can’t accomplish your goals. But with a content writer, you can turn a lack of structure into a timely schedule.

3. There Are No Resources When You’re Falling Behind

You need fresh content. But you don’t have anything ready to go. This is why it’s crucial to have extra work or even older writing that’s reusable. You should have a working log of blogs, social media posts, and other evergreen resources you can use when you’re short on content. That way, your material is still valuable while saving you time when work or life gets hectic.

4. Visits To Your Website Are Lacking

Have you checked your SEO rankings lately? Even more simple, have you googled your business to see where you stand? 

Looking into your ranking opens the discussion of whether you need a content writer for SEO purposes. If you’re not targeting certain keywords or phrases, chances are your competitors will. A content writer who’s familiar with SEO can research and create copy with your SEO objectives in mind.

5. You Have No Idea What Your Audience Wants

Your message sounds as though it’s getting lost in your writing (or someone else’s). This is a huge problem because B2B buyers are 50% more likely to make a purchase when they feel an emotional connection. What now?

It’s time to refine your audience. It’s okay to take a step back to the basics and ask yourself who you’re speaking to and why they should care. Think about and jot down who your audience is and how your business benefits them. How does your company make their lives easier? Once you’ve nailed down who your audience is, you can concentrate on the clarity of your message. 

6. Your Type-A Personality Isn’t Getting The Job Done

Perfectionism is a wonderful trait to have in several aspects of your life. Chances are, you aced studying in school and you’re the main point of contact when planning a trip with your friends. But when it comes to writing, perfectionism can get in the way and prevent you from publishing your work. With a ton of drafts sitting in your drive, you may as well not be writing at all.

It’s hard to let go and trust someone else with your brand. But if you work closely with a content writer, you’ll be surprised at how much they can do for you that you haven’t been able to do for yourself.  

7. No One Else On Your Team Can Take Over

Your team is swamped, and no one has an extra hand to lend. Plus, one of your employees is on vacation and another is out sick. Hiring a content writer doesn’t guarantee someone is on call 24/7. But by working with an experienced content writer, you’ll get a master of time management who meets deadlines and takes critique as though they were born to complete your projects.

8. You’re Getting Drowned Out By The Competition

Drowning in the competition? There are several other aspects of writing that help boost your website to the top. A simple long-form blog won’t push you to page one anymore. Additional aspects such as search engine optimization (SEO), meta tags, readability, big benefits, and so much more affect your visibility. Content writers know this and will integrate each aspect into everything they write to stand out from the competition.

A Checklist For Your (Potential) Content Writer 

Here are some things to look for when hiring a content writer…

Experience & Range

If you can find a content writer who has experience writing in your industry, that’s great! Otherwise, find someone who has a portfolio that shows their range and ability to work across different industries.

Understand Their Process

A good content writer will know the tools, techniques, and other resources needed to create quality content. Get a feel for how they operate and find out if it’s a fit for you.

Set Clear Goals & Expectations

Let potential writers know what you’d like to achieve and what you expect them to do along the way. Are you a fan of self-editing? Tell them. Will you have several quick deadlines? Be honest and upfront about your schedule. The more they know, the more they can do to help.

Request Referrals & Read Reviews

Find out who else they’ve worked with and ask for referrals. Get a feel for who the writer is in a professional or personal setting to see if they’re someone you’d like to work with.

Discuss A Budget For Your Business

Have an open conversation and talk to potential content writers about your budget. You may be surprised at what a content writer can do even if you’re unsure whether you can afford one.

Does Your Business Need A Content Writer? You Can Find Hot & Fresh Copy Right Here

We understand business owners’ challenges. It can be hard to let go of even a singular part of your business. Nevertheless, hiring a professional writer helps get the work done. There may be a learning curve. However, a great content writer will deliver what you need right on time. If you’re consistently catching up on your own work, hire a content writer and have it done for you.

Ready to make a move towards consistent content? Schedule a meeting with me today.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words