What is a copywriter?

Hi there!

Thank you for jumping on my blog to read this post, you curious soul, you!

My powers of deduction tell me you want to know what a copywriter is.

They also tell me I should just get on with explaining, so I’ll do that do right now. Then you can use your newfound knowledge to decide if you need to hire one!

So, what is a copywriter, then?

A copywriter is someone who writes copy for advertising and marketing materials.

Their job is to write these materials in such a way that the audience who read the copy will take a certain action after reading it. Think of it as a type of persuasive writing ( which it is, technically).

Traditionally, people have called copywriting ‘salesmanship in print’. Today, ‘salespersonship in print’ or even just ‘selling in print’ would be a more socially way to describe it.

What does a copywriter do?

In ye olden days of copywriting… okay, so I’m exaggerating, but the profession has been around a while!

Long before the internet exploded onto the scene, copywriters wrote materials such as:

– Press releases
– Press ads
– TV ads
– Radio ads
– Brochures / flyers
– Newsletters

In the digital age, the role has changed. Copywriters still write the above, but now you’d also hire them to write:

– Website copy (such as landing pages and product descriptions)
– Blog posts
– Email newsletters
– Social media posts
– Blog posts
– Case studies
– White papers
– PPC ads

It’s important to be aware that not all of the above set out to sell directly to the customer. Instead, businesses create the materials to showcase their own expertise so that their audience trust the business and buy from it. It’s about relationship building and is more of a long game, but it’s a rewarding one!

And again… what does a copywriter do?

It’s not all just writing, though. The job involves applying elements of psychology to help compel a reader to click that ‘Buy’ button.

Copywriters also research on several different fronts so that they understand their client’s business, products and service, industry and audience. Knowledge is power(ful copy!)! The more info the copywriter has, the better they can write for their client.

Of course, the internet has given everyone, including copywriters, something to chew on. Although the fundamentals of the craft have stayed the same, copywriters face new, exciting challenges to consider. Not only do they have to consider your audience, but also how the search engines will understand your content. They’ll then write strategically to help your website content in the search engine.

Does a copywriter need a degree to run a good copywriting business?

No, but your copywriter should have exceptional writing skills. No one likes reading copy full of spelling mistakes and no one wants to buy from a business that writes like that either!

Good copywriters will have specialised training and have handy little tricks up their sleeves to steer people towards clicking to buy your product, book a table at your restaurant, sign up for your newsletter or whatever else it is you want them to do when they’ve finished reading.

Your copywriter is likely to have in-depth knowledge or experience of a specific industry, which is good news for your copy if your business operates in the same one. The copywriter is likely to understand industry terminology, events and challenges, so they’ll know how to write for you. Brilliant!

Thinking of hiring a copywriter?

Now we’ve cleared all that up, the question is do you need to hire a copywriter?

If you do, take a look at my copywriting services to see how I can help.

Then drop me a line to discuss your project.

Speak to you soon and thanks again for reading!