February 21

What on earth is a copywriter?

What on earth is a copywriter?

I’m so glad you asked! When I tell people I’m a copywriter, they frequently think I deal with the laws about protecting created material. 

That work is the domain of copyright. Copywriters, in contrast, are the creative individuals who work magic with words. They craft written content for advertising, marketing and descriptive texts. If you’ve read a super-informative brochure or heard a catchy ad jingle, you’ve experienced the work of the copywriter.

A copywriter’s goal is to weave words that inspire people to act. Often, that will be buying a product or service, but can include things like signing up to receive a business newsletter, subscribe to a blog, or visit a website.

Depending on your marketing goals, copywriters can write various types of compelling text suited to different mediums, including video scripts, TV jingles and web copy that’s optimised for search engines.

Here’s some of the top things you might use a copywriter to help with:

1. Web pages

Is your website a pleasure for visitors to engage with, or is it sending them to sleep? I wrote about websites in this post, but a key point is that users judge them in as little as 3.42 seconds, so it’s vital to make a great first impression.

Copy that is clear and compelling shows potential customers why YOUR business is the best for meeting their needs. Copy that is optimised for search engines also helps you to achieve better organic search rankings. Combine great website copy with stunning images and strong back-end work by a web developer and voila! – you’ll have a website that does what you want it to.

2. Blogs, social posts and articles

Content marketing is relatively new in Australia, but is increasingly used by brands to build their audiences. A recent trend is a shift from creating product- and brand-led content to customer-first content.

Delivering regular, quality content that your target audience wants to receive – whether that’s through blogs, articles or social posts – not only helps to build your subscriber base, it helps to establish trust and loyalty to your business.

Consistency is critical, so think about what is sustainable for you long-term. If you’re too busy doing other stuff, a copywriter can do this for you, helping with everything from brainstorming ideas to content creation and scheduling.

3.  Case studies

Has your business done something awesome? Perhaps won a great contract, an industry award or gone above and beyond in solving a challenging problem for a client? Maybe your staff just do a wonderful job every day without making a fuss.

Writing up a case study gives potential clients a concrete example of how your business has achieved an outcome or managed a problem. You can use them on your website, in local media, and in work portfolios.

4. Staff profiles

People prefer doing business with people they like, know and trust. Adding some life and personality to your staff profiles helps customers feel like they know you.

A copywriter can craft words that convey the type of impression you want to make, whether it’s ultra-professional, laid-back, friendly, expert, or anything else. These can be used on your website, social media channels, LinkedIn profiles and so on.

5. eBooks

These sometimes-overlooked marketing tools are a great way for businesses to promote their expertise, show thought leadership and – most importantly – generate new leads. Most often, you’ll see them offered for free download in exchange for an email address, which can be added to your list for future marketing campaigns.

But even a free eBook needs to represent value, otherwise people are unlikely to download it. A compelling title, short extracts and testimonials from people who’ve read your book can all encourage people to click ‘download now’.

A copywriter can write an eBook that’s engaging to read and showcases your expertise, and the words that show customers the life-changing value of reading it!

Fringe benefit: eBook content on your website is another way to improve organic search rankings.

6. Brochures/flyers

Every business needs a company flyer that highlights who they are and what they offer. A copywriter can get your message across in compelling words. A great one can do it in few words – without sacrificing crucial information – so there’s plenty of room for graphics and images.

7. Product and service descriptions

Want to make it easy for customers to understand what you offer and why they should choose you? Clear, concise descriptions bring your products and services to life.

Once they’re written, you can use them on your website, brochure, EDM campaigns and so on.

8. Newsletters

Maybe you’ve got a great email list, but are you making the most of it? A regular newsletter puts your business in front of people, well, regularly!

But it won’t achieve much if nobody reads it, so the headline needs to make people want to open it (without sounding like click-bait). The content should connect with readers, provide useful info and keep them coming back.

A copywriter can help you craft a newsletter that forges connections with customers and builds loyalty to your business. Use them to introduce new staff, highlight promotions, make special offers and announce new products and services.

Professional copywriters craft compelling words that inspire action. Contact me to discuss creating copy that captures your voice and delivers on your needs. 

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