What is copywriting? Why do your business need it?

People talk a lot about copywriting, and many businesses are looking for copywriters.

Someone might have told you that your website needs copywriting, but you may not know what that means. 

Don’t worry. In this post, I’ll explain what copywriting is and why it’s essential to the success of your business. 

Then we’ll talk about the types of copywriting and the differences between copywriting and content writing. What copywriting is and isn’t is also covered here. 

Whether you employ a copywriter or write your own content, you must know the basics.

The good news is that you can implement copywriting quickly. You just need to understand what a good copy can do for your business.

So let’s begin.

Words have the power to persuade people in many ways. 

Imagine a little boy who doesn’t want to eat his broccoli. 

Wouldn’t you try to convince him that veggies are good and healthy? 

It’s not about lying, but persuading.

The child doesn’t care about the health benefits. All he cares about is that broccoli is not as tasty as chocolate. 

Good copywriting involves time, persuasive words, and creativity. However, many business owners have none. 

Here is where the copywriter’s figure emerges. 

So you save your time, energy and passion for your business.

So, what is copywriting? Let’s nail it

Copywriting is using well-chosen words to convince potential customers that your product or service is what they need.

Copywriters are like parents trying to get their kids to eat greens because they know they are healthy. 

Not all writing is copywriting. Copywriters take specific marketing training and a copywriting course. 

But let’s get back to the question: what is copywriting?

Imagine you have a job interview, and there are two other candidates. Who will they choose? 

Logic says the one with the best CV.

But the truth is that the person who sells himself best and convinces the interviewer that his skills are what they need for the job wins.

Copywriting is about knowing how to make your value or the value of your products/services stand out.

Sometimes you don’t need more years of experience or better facilities. Or even worse, you will have the same or very similar offer.

You’ll use copywriting to enhance what sets you apart and give your customers more value.

Copywriting meaning

Google returns the following copywriting definition: 

“Copywriting is the activity or occupation of writing the text of ads or publicity material.” 

However, the most generic explanation is: 

“Copywriting is a persuasive writing technique.” 

But each copywriter has their own special touches. 

For me, copywriting is finding a way to connect with the reader on an emotional level.

It’s about knowing your audience and writing in a way that stimulates their senses. So, they desire to have whatever it is you sell. 

Your readers must be able to picture themselves using or enjoying your products or services. 

Good copywriting is when your readers buy in their minds before they click the buy button.

Why is copywriting so important?

Copywriting helps you not just sell but persuade the reader to take specific actions. These “actions” could be:

Signing up for your newsletter, 

Visiting your social media sites, 

Calling a number, 

Clicking a link, 

Booking a consultation, etc. 

It helps you build trust, respect, and credibility.

This is what happens to your text when you use creative writing techniques:

  • You capture attention. You get your readers to stop what they are doing and pay attention to what you are saying.
  • You make people interested.
  • You create desire.

You can apply copywriting techniques to pretty much any format or page. Use it to promote products/services, your business, yourself, or your ideas.

What is copywriting used to sell?

When people find you online, your web copy is the first thing they see. You only have a few seconds to make a good first impression. 

Saying what everyone else says is a sure way to fail. 

So work hard to impress your audience with something unique (value proposition).

Copywriting is your conversation road map. It’s how you get your message across in the shortest time to reach your goal.

Without a good copy, your clients will get lost in long definitions that don’t lead anywhere. 

However, highlighting the advantages and benefits of your products or services can get people to take specific, measurable actions. And then you make an emotional connection with them.

What are the types of copywriting?

There are different types of copywriting, and you need to know them when deciding which one your business needs.

Direct-response copywriting: 

Persuasive writing techniques seek a direct and immediate response to compel the reader to act fast after reading our material.

The main goal is to turn leads into customers.

Creative copywriting:

It creates advertising campaign concepts and ideas to increase brand positioning. 

The messages are unique, different, and innovative.

SEO copywriting:

“SEO” stands for “Search Engine Optimisation.”

This is one of the most popular types of copywriting.

SEO copywriting is all about the strategies you need to use to reach the top of search engines like Google.

Paying for ads or having effective SEO are the only two options for your website to be on Google’s first page.

SEO copywriting is not easy. You must understand keyword research and how to use it on your website or blog entries.

You might want to hire a good SEO copywriter. But you can also take a good SEO course to learn the basics if you’d prefer to do it yourself.

Technical copy:

It focuses on a certain area and uses specific jargon to connect with a target audience.

Social media copywriting

The specific goals are: getting content viral, gaining more followers, and improving your brand’s perceived image.

Email marketing copywriting 

It’s all about crafting emails and increasing the number of sales. The goal is to encourage more responses from potential consumers.

What is not copywriting?

Any published content has an aim.   

Copywriting is not journalism. When you write copy, your goal is to sell, not to entertain or tell people about the news.        

It’s not a novel or poetry. Flowery writing isn’t always appropriate. Don’t forget that you are writing to sell, not to win the Bath Novel awards.        

Copywriting is not words to fill a blank space. Have you ever seen a website with perfect images and great design that caught your eye? But as you started reading, there was…… nothing….      

It’s not a list of your product’s features and qualities. As we said, it’s about benefits, advantages, and key characteristics.        

Copywriting is more about marketing than doing beautiful pieces.

What is the difference between copywriting and content writing?

Many people mix up what is copywriting and content writing.

The biggest difference is that copywriting involves writing with a clear marketing goal and plan.

On the other hand, content writing, or content creation, is about writing blog posts or video scripts that explain something. Content builds credibility and trust but doesn’t sell.

Let’s point out the main differences:

  • Content gives information and seeks the readers’ attention. Copywriting gives commercial value and encourages reader action.
  • Copywriting sells, while content educates.
  • Content writing attracts readers and builds community or engagement. Copywriting turns those readers into clients.
  • Content is general, while copy is specific.

However, copywriting is most effective when supported by solid content.

So the winning card has both.

What is copywriting in advertising?

Copywriting in advertising is about creating scripts and briefs for ad campaigns.

  1. First, you need a compelling or catchy headline that makes your audience want to read or watch more.
  2. If you want your ads to work, their content must be valuable and helpful to the people who see them.
  3. You should also build trust while enhancing your brand identity and authority.
  4. A clear call to action leads to a landing page or website where you’ll close the sale.

The best copywriting ads always, and I mean always, do A/B testing and keep track of the results.

What is copywriting work?

Now you know what copywriting is; let’s see how copywriters do.

Copywriters create engaging and clear content. 

But where? 

Here you have a list of typical pages written by copywriters. 

  • Website 
  • Brochures/flyers 
  • Emails 
  • Products description 
  • YouTube video scripts or training
  • Scripts for podcasts or webinars 
  • Sales pages 
  • Landing pages 
  • Ads on Google or social media
  • Social media profiles (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook…)
  • CVs

Copywriters must research keywords, write compelling content, and proofread the work for accuracy, quality, and plagiarism. 

Why hire a professional copywriter?

There are many good reasons to hire a professional copywriter: 

  • Branding: Copywriting shows how you’re different and adds value to your brand. 
  • SEO: If people don’t see you, they won’t buy from you. A stunning design or compelling text doesn’t matter if you have no one to convince. 

Copywriting’s goal is to help turn your visitors into paying customers. But to be seen, you need a good ranking on Google. 

This is done by strategically inserting keywords into your website’s content that your visitors are searching for.

  • Customer loyalty and trust: copywriting can help you get closer to your customers by building stronger relationships.
  • Stand out from the crowd: Consumers will compare you to your competitors to find the best solution for them. Copywriters are trained to analyse markets, find gaps your product can fill, and set you apart from your competitors.

But all of these benefits add up to one. Good copy means more customers and a higher conversion rate, which means more sales for your business.

What copywriting skills you need for a successful job

Great copywriters need to be good at sales first. 

They also need to think outside the box and come up with new ideas. 

They need to be experts in marketing and can advise you on the best ways to position your business. 

Copywriters are great researchers and can meet clients’ expectations and needs. 

The advantages of a specialised copywriter

To me, specialisation is key. 

Not just that. 

It makes a massive difference if the copywriter has previously worked in the field they write for.

The deep understanding of clients’ needs and personal connections sets them apart from other copywriters. 

Here you have even more advantages:

  • You get a copywriter who is an expert in your business and market. 
  • We see your product or service from a broad and unique angle. 
  • We also know who you sell to, your competitors, what you sell, etc. 
  • We know every brand’s benefits and downsides. 
  • In short, you get a professional who understands the backstory. 
  • Specialised copywriters understand your clients’ fears and wishes from within. 
  • We know a lot about your industry and can help you find the best and most meaningful way to make you stand out. 

Am I specialised? Of course, I am. 

I worked as a spa/massage therapist, spa manager, medical aesthetician, doctor’s assistant, and brand trainer for 15 years before becoming a skin expert copywriter.

Even though anybody can write, only a select few are capable of doing it in a way that gets results.            

Hiring a professional copywriter could be smart if you find it hard to fill the blank page. Also, writing content consumes loads of time, and you must be creative.

If that doesn’t sound like you:

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