What Is Copywriting? – 10 Ways an Expert Copywriter Brings Positive Value to Your Business
“What the heck is a Copywriter?”
“Can’t I just write what I need and call it a day?”
“Do I really need someone else to write about my products for me?”
These are all completely fair questions and the same ones I had when getting into this profession. Your skepticism is valid.
But I was curious as to what the actual definition of a copywriter was so I will save you some time looking it up:
Cop·y·writ·er - noun - a person who writes the text of advertisements or publicity material.
At first read, this seems like a narrow view into what the profession is and explains why there is a mystery around what a copywriter does.
On the second read, I may have been a little put off by how simple it makes the practice seem. I’m only human, right?
Simply put a copywriter adds color and emotion into what action the audience is being asked to take. This could be through a website, email newsletter, social media post, blog, sales landing page, or even direct mail to a business or residence.
By tapping into logic and emotional triggers, a copywriter can get your audience to engage more authentically with you and what products and services your business offers. Turning you into more of a trusted authority instead of a slimy peddler of goods.
Here are 10 specific ways an expert copywriter can be an asset to your business:
Crafting Compelling Messages
Words that make your value sing
Copywriters live to draw the audience in. The idea is to strip away the fluff and get to the heart of what the reader needs. To solve the problems they know exist and uncover things they didn’t even know were there. This is about them not you.
Building Brand Identity
Who are you and why you matter
This may seem counterintuitive since I just said “This is about them not you” but stay with me. You need to provide as much information as you can about why you are here and why you matter. This is more broad while doing quick searches but your content will then focus on your audience. By building brand identity you build trust.
Driving Conversions
Persausive words sell
The power lies in writing to your audience, not at them. Diving into their experience and what is troublesome in their life and connecting to that. Wow, what a difference empathy and understanding make. And it’s not always about making a sale. It’s about being clear on the action you need them to take; could be as simple as signing up for a newsletter or following your Instagram profile. Authentic connection through persuasive writing will equal conversions.
Adapting to Various Platforms
Medium maketh the copy
Where you connect to your audience will change how the copy is written. For example, a long-form copy should be used for technical sales sheets or direct mail. Whereas an Instagram post should use short to the point but punchy copy. It’s all about being effective through each medium you choose.
SEO Optimization
Hello Google 👋
How can people find you if when searching randomly in Google you don’t show up? A copywriter uses tools to find what keywords are searched most frequently and builds that into the work they create. It should be subtle. Google deprioritizes the practice of keyword stuffing; basically, push as many searched keywords as possible into a single piece for maximum visibility. That’s a no-no. Organically sprinkle them in and over time watch your presence surge online.
Storytelling
Oh the stories we weave
As much as I’m sure you are great and so are your products you need a compelling story to grab your audience and make you irresistible to them. Emotion is how you pass the logic center and allows you to tell your story. The story is connection and connection is what makes your audience come back.
Clarity and Conciseness
Fluff be gone
The same information can be said with less. What does the reader need to know versus trying to dazzle them with a word salad? Paint the picture don’t drown it.
Research Skills
Where’s my encyclopedia
Information is constantly changing so what worked 6 weeks ago may be completely different now. As an expert copywriter, it is my job to take the time needed to research a topic or the target audience to get the correct information. If the research is shotty there’s goes your credibility.
Adapting to Trends
People are always changing and so should you
Love them or hate them trends define almost everything online. But there are nuances when it comes to trends. Consumption habits, for example, have changed drastically over the last 5 years. The infinite scroll has caused brands to evaluate their offerings so they aren’t lost. Then there are writing trends.
Product-focused material was all the rage before the CEO influencers. Now you are your brand so being front and center interacting with your audience is most important.
In the simplest terms, trends equal change so as a skilled copywriter I am here to adapt for your brand and stay ahead of the competition.
Measuring Impact
Change what isn’t working
Every form of content has different ways of measurement but it all comes back to conversion. The best and most practical way is to do A/B testing. That could be taking your 5000 subscribers to your newsletter and hitting half with one version of an offer and the other with a different version. Seeing which one produces more gives you a starting off point.
Then you can continue to iterate until you hit your goal conversion rate. But remember the higher the dollar amount the lower the typical conversion rate so knowing what is standard up front helps with expectations.
Until Next Time
An expert copywriter is an adaptable and skilled professional who goes beyond mere writing, contributing significantly to brand building, marketing strategies, and overall business success. Not every copywriter is built the same and the profession varies dramatically. When looking to hire someone make sure you do a test project before signing any agreements. Now wasn’t that fun?
